Thieves and vandals cost taxpayers R7.5m at Gauteng schools over holidays

Taxpayers will ultimately foot the bill of about R7.5m to replace stolen public school  property in Gauteng.

This after 16 schools in the province were vandalised or broken into over the festive season.

No arrests were made.

This was revealed by Gauteng education MEC Panyaza Lesufi in a written reply to a DA question in the provincial legislature.

Public schools situated in the Johannesburg central area were hit hardest by burglars, with eight of the 16 schools located there.

Two schools in Sedibeng were torched and three in the western areas were burgled. There was one break-in in Tshwane.

Lesufi said his department was working with the provincial department of community safety and police to conduct random patrols of the affected areas.

However, he said, relying on public policing was not enough. “Schools are also requested to engage private security companies to help protect school property.”

Lesufi also tackled scholar transport, saying unroadworthy buses contracted to transport pupils had their contracts terminated.

“Every June/July school holidays, all buses contracted to provide learner transport are subjected to a compulsory roadworthy test,” he said.