It's 'barbaric', says MEC as 7 NW schools vandalised during lockdown

09 April 2020 - 19:05 By Nonkululeko Njilo
subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now
Seven schools were burgled and vandalised by Thursday in Bojanala and Dr Kenneth Kaunda districts in the North West.
Seven schools were burgled and vandalised by Thursday in Bojanala and Dr Kenneth Kaunda districts in the North West.
Image: Gallo Images/ IStock

Seven schools have been burgled and vandalised in the Bojanala and Dr Kenneth Kaunda districts in North West since the start of the lockdown two weeks ago.

This is according to Ellias Malindi, the provincial education department spokesperson. He said all the incidents happened when people were instructed to stay at home to avoid the spread of the coronavirus.

Education MEC Mmaphefo Matsemela has called on the law to take its course, saying that education in the province would be affected.

“These criminal activities in our schools are delaying our progress of developing schools in totality within the province. We want the law to take it's full course in ensuring that all perpetrators are brought to book,” he said.

The items that were stolen from the schools include parts of the kitchen roof, fencing, sewing machines and groceries for feeding schemes.

Meanwhile, surveillance cameras, solar panels and geysers were damaged.

Matsemela described the crimes as barbaric.

“On behalf of the department l would like to condemn these barbaric activities and call all our communities to be very vigilant in their different areas. Communities near schools should report to the police any illegal activity taking place at school,” he said.  

The affected schools were listed as:

Mfidikwe Primary School in Rustenburg;

Sekwati Primary School in Mmakau Village near Brits; 

Rooikoppie Primary School near Brits;

Kgwanyape Primary School in Modderspruit near Mooinooi;

Matlhaleng Secondary School in Klerksdorp;

Selang Thuto Primary School in Kanana township near Klerksdorp; and

Kanana Primary School in Kanana, Orkney.

The department has called on the community to assist in identifying and putting perpetrators behind bars. All cases were reported to police.


subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now