Blame game over chaotic school raid in Gugulethu
EDUCATION MEC Debbie Schäfer has blamed the police for a disorganised search and seizure operation at a Gugulethu school yesterday.
But the acting station commissioner for Gugulethu, Colonel Patrick Benenengu said they were only informed of the operation 15 minutes before its scheduled start at Fezeka Secondary School.
Schäfer also claimed police had not followed the proper processes related to school searches.
“I’m quite frankly horrified. The total inefficiency… Safe Schools apparently confirmed this morning that everything was going ahead at 11.30am as planned. We got here and nothing really was going on. They didn’t have any sniffer dogs at all,” she said.
“They had no clue about the processes to follow, which is an incredible concern given that this is one of the areas with a lot of gangsterism.”
She said police should not have placed two pupils in a police van. Knives had been found hidden in their socks.
Another concern was that the police had allegedly told the boys not to worry as they “were just doing it for the media”.
“This shows exactly how seriously they are taking safety in our schools.”
Schäfer said she was extremely concerned about the organisational capacity of the Gugulethu police.
When asked by a journalist whether the pupils had been taken to the police van “just for the media” Benenengu initially said: “Yes”.
However, he later said he had not been aware of what had happened.
He added the boys’ parents had been called, adding they would receive an apology.
The two knives were the only items confiscated by police during the operation.
Benenengu said the pupils had told the police they needed the knives to protect themselves. The school had requested the operation. “The School Safety Committee at Fezeka Secondary School had reported to the Western Cape Education Department’s Safe Schools directorate that they suspect a number of learners are allegedly affiliated to gangs. In the past, learners at Fezeka Secondary have been threatened by fellow learners on the school grounds,” Schäfer said.
She said there had been a flare-up of gang violence in the province since the beginning of the year.
“Although the majority of incidents are off school premises and within the community, gang violence can spill over into schools when learners are directly involved.”
Acting principal Zoliswa Ngqukuvana said there were pupils who were members of rival gangs. She said rivals might even play soccer together during a break but as soon as there was a disagreement, they FRIDAY MAY 13 2016 would align to their sides.
Ngqukuvana said the school followed disciplinary processes when necessary, and tried to discuss issues of discipline with parents.