Another school torched in Vuwani

Police in Vuwani‚ Limpopo‚ are investigating circumstances surrounding the burning of a secondary school in the area.

Shondoni Secondary School in Lwamondo village was set alight in the early hours of Friday morning.

Police have revealed that thieves forced open burglar doors of the administration building and proceeded to set the building alight.

While investigations were still ongoing‚ preliminary findings had determined that several items were stolen‚ including computers‚ a safe‚ steel cabinet and printers.

Police have estimated the value of the damage‚ including to the building‚ at around R1.2-million.

"The motive for this incident is not known at this stage but police investigations are continuing. The suspects in this matter are unknown at this stage and police are making an appeal to anyone with information that can assist with the tracing of these culprits …‚" Limpopo police said in a statement.

Vuwani is not new to the widespread burning of schools. In 2016‚ at least 30 schools were badly burnt when the community rose up in protest over issues of demarcation.

Residents had been protesting since the Municipal Demarcation Board moved Vuwani and surrounding areas into the Lim 345 municipality‚ from the Makhado municipality. In April 2016‚ they lost a court bid to remain in Makhado.

The municipality was expected to be renamed Collins Chabane Municipality after the late former Minister of Public Services and Administration Collins Chabane‚ who hailed from the region.

It was formed out of a merger between the Malamulele‚ Vuwani and Hlanganani areas.