Parents urged to check for weapons, drugs as school crime increases

EASTERN Cape police have called on parents to be vigilant and ensure their children do not take dangerous weapons, drugs and alcohol to school.

They also want adult carers to make sure internet surfing on cellphones is safe so youngsters do not use prohibited links or delve into the world of pornography.

This message was delivered by Lusikisiki cluster spokeswoman Captain Nozuko Handile and Butterworth spokesman Captain Jackson Manatha yesterday after police raids on schools yielded a number of dangerous weapons, including guns and ammunition, as well as drugs and alcohol. Police were also told that schoolchildren were spending their time watching porn on their phones.

The officers said some of the guns belonged to negligent relatives of the children who had not kept the guns locked in safes.

Some of the items were found in primary schools in rural areas, where everyone believed there would be a low level of crime.

“It looks like parents have come to wholly rely on teachers to deal with school crime. Parents have a vital role to play by searching school bags and making sure that what is inside is what is supposed to be carried to school,” said Handile.

● On Friday, a police raid on the Roman Catholic School and Ngubezulu Primary in Port St Johns turned up a cooldrink bottle filled with whisky in a classroom, as well as dagga and two knives. Nobody was arrested at either school. “It looks as if the school child and friends were bingeing on alcohol in the classroom during teaching time,” said Handile;

● On Friday, two Ndevu Primary schoolchildren at Thombo village near Port St Johns appeared in the magistrate’s court facing charges of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition. The two, aged 15 and 16, were arrested last month with a 9mm magazine with seven rounds of ammunition and a 9mm pistol; and

● On Thursday, a Grade 11 Majali Technical High pupil in Majali village near Port St Johns appeared in court on assault and unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition charges.

The pupil, 21, who was armed with a home-made pump-action gun and a big knife, attacked the school principal demanding to be promoted to Grade

12. He was released on R400 bail. “These days, teachers are scared of their pupils, even in primary school. Even security officers are scared for their lives as the pupils are armed with guns and the guards are only armed with knobkerries,” said Manatha.

In other incidents police have made a number of arrests for rape and murder.

● On Saturday, police arrested a man and charged him with raping an 80-year-old woman in a village near Kei Bridge.

“The victim was in a deep slumber alone at her home on Wednesday at about midnight when she woke and noticed that there was a man inside her house. He attacked and overpowered her,” said Manatha.

The man will appear before the Butterworth Magistrate’s Court today.

● A Butterworth magistrate on Thursday sentenced Xola Guntu, 41, to 15 years in jail for the rape of a 14year-old girl.

● Centane police on Friday arrested a man in possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition in Cebe village. He is to appear in the Centane Magistrate’s Court today. —