KZN education MEC tells community to take charge of school safety after four pupils attacked

KwaZulu-Natal education MEC Kwazi Mshengu told the community of Dassenhoek, outside Durban, the department would not increase security after four pupils were robbed and stabbed at the high school on Wednesday.

He wants the community to take responsibility for securing schools in the area.

Mshengu visited Dassenhoek High School after the incident in which armed robbers attacked pupils on the premises and made off with cellphones, money and other valuables.

Two pupils have been discharged from hospital while the other two are in a stable condition and expected to be released by the weekend.

The perpetrators allegedly broke the fence to gain access to the premises and demanded valuables from teachers and pupils.

Pupils tried to resist, but the robbers overpowered and stabbed them.

At least two suspects have been apprehended.

“Let me make this clear: we don’t want our schools to be full of security guards,” Mshengu said.

“Imagine if there was a guard with a gun and a shooting spree ensued. We could've lost lives. Teachers and pupils could've been caught in crossfire. So we won't provide armed security guards, because the safety of schools is the responsibility of the community.”

The department could not be blamed for such incidents as its role is to teach, “not to fight drugs and dangerous weapons in the community.

“Why do you blame the department while the community steals and their neighbours don't reprimand them? This school is fenced. People who break these things is the community, not teachers. I'm sure if you were to look around you'd find a fence from this school at someone's house.

“Solutions are within you. Don't look for easy solutions. This school is fenced and has two guards, what more should we do? Where were you as the community? Where were you [on Wednesday] when this happened?

“How did you sleep knowing criminals who stabbed four children and caused trauma at the school are still at large?”

Local councillor Mthokozisi Gasa said the community would do better to protect schools.

“This incident happened because we were disorganised somehow, but it tells us that we need to zoom in on the schools.

“People who did this are known to the community and we're going to deal with them. Rest assured we will not meet under these circumstances again. We can't be terrorised by children. It can't happen under our watch.”

Residents said this was not an isolated incident at the school, as teachers and pupils have been victims of crime before.

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