Principal, teachers held hostage and robbed at Randfontein school

Two armed men robbed several staff members of a Randfontein school on Friday, the department of education said.

Department spokesperson Steve Mabona said two armed men gained access to AB Phokompe High School on the West Rand after pretending to have a scheduled appointment with the principal.

“The men held several teachers and the principal hostage,” Mabona said.

The staff members were robbed of cellphones, jewellery, money and five laptops.

“It is alleged the men sought to gain access to the school’s strong room and were explicitly looking for an employee in charge of the strong room keys. The men fled the scene in a getaway car without gaining access to the strong room,” Mabona said.

All staff members were unharmed and will receive counselling from the psycho-social unit on Monday, he said.

“We condemn this cowardly act of targeting our schools by criminal elements in our communities and call on the Randfontein community to assist the police in bringing those responsible to book.

“We call upon law enforcement to apprehend the suspects and bring them to justice,” said Gauteng education MEC Panyaza Lesufi.

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