School burgled on eve of safety summit

A Midrand school was cleaned out of cash and computers on Monday night in the latest in a flurry of similar break-ins, the Gauteng education department said on Tuesday.

“We are under siege from these criminals,” Gauteng education MEC Panyaza Lesufi said.

“How do people continue to derail education of our children in this fashion?”

The break-in occurred at the Gideon Rambuwane school in Klipfontein View‚ Midrand.

The stolen equipment includes a server‚ two laptops‚ 27 computers‚ two cameras‚ R2‚000 cash and a gas stove.

The burglary follows a brazen theft at the state-of-theart Menzi Primary School within a week of its opening in January.

That incident was among a spate of school burglaries in areas ranging from Lenasia to Pretoria.

A school safety summit is being hosted on Wednesday by the Gauteng community safety and education departments to tackle school breakins‚ gangsterism‚ bullying and violence against pupils and teachers.

“This gathering must discuss these safety challenges and develop a common approach to tackle them‚” Lesufi said.

“The creation of a safe and conducive learning environment has reached [a] critical point and is not negotiable.

“Our learners must be given an opportunity to develop and ultimately reach their full potential without any hindrance.”

Gauteng community safety MEC Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane said: “Gauteng schools have become terrains prone to crime and violent incidents.

“This is a threat to the successful achievement of educational goals.”

Wednesday’s school safety summit is expected to be attended by about 3‚000 people, including principals‚ school governing bodies‚ organised labour‚ pupils’ representative councils and student movements. –