School raid: Kimberley police zero in on six crime-ridden schools

Kimberley authorities have sent a stern message to gangs and drug dealers who threaten the safety of schools.

This past week, an operation led by the Kimberley police district and the provincial education department targeted six schools deemed to be hotspot zones for crime and rampant drug abuse.

Kimberley police in full force to root out the rotten apples

A team made up of SAPS’ Frances Baard Cluster, Visible Policing and K9 units, the departments of education and correctional services, as well as other safety and security volunteer organisations held raids at targeted schools in Kimberley, Galeshewe and Hartswater.

According to Kimberley police spokesperson Captain Sergio Kock, the aim of the school raids was to root out the rotten apples and hold safety talks with the 7 000+ pupils.

These are the items that were seized

Sure enough, the raids yielded positive results, and the team managed to confiscate:

• dangerous weapons such as knives;
• broken mirrors (used to slash or stab in confrontations);
• scissors (sharp-pointed);
• cigarettes; as well as
• dagga

The pupils who were found with these items were removed from the premises and according to Captain Kock, they “will be dealt with by their various schools’ disciplinary processes.”

Following the raids, the team, assisted by the SAPS Polmusca Choir and Safety Volunteers from Youth Against Crime, held safety talks with the pupils from the six schools.

Safety talks with pupils: “the culture of learning in school will not be compromised”

Pupils were warned to refrain from entering school premises with dangerous weapons and drugs. They were reminded that the future of South Africa was in their hands and wasting it away to gangsterism and drug abuse was not going to be tolerated.

“The SAPS shall continue to strengthen [its] relationship with the Department of Education, NGO’s and the community to ensure that safety and security are prioritised and the culture of learning on the school premises is not compromised. Police will, therefore, carry on with random unannounced school raids to address the issue of drugs and dangerous weapons at schools,” Captain Kock said in a statement.