School vandalism: Nearly 40 Cape Town schools robbed over holidays

The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has confirmed that during the July school holidays, no fewer than 38 schools were vandalised  and burgled, with the department urging the public not to purchase any of the stolen goods that include sports and IT equipment, as well as food set aside for critical school meals. 

One incident led to the death of a security guard, and the WCED said that with law enforcement agencies already stretched thin dealing with other crimes, communities need to take responsibility and protect places of learning from senseless acts of vandalism. 

Security guard killed

Western Cape Education Minister Debbie Shafer said in a statement on Sunday that she is “extremely disappointed” that schools have once again been targeted by ruthless criminals while closed for the holidays. 

“Our schools are already operating in difficult circumstances, and the last thing they need is to be further disrupted by damages and theft,” she said, noting that sports equipment, gardening and maintenance equipment, fencing, building fixtures, lighting and electrical cables, IT equipment, stationery, kitchen equipment, and food for school meals have been stolen from 38 schools since the second term ended at the end of June. 

“Someone, somewhere, is going to be offered the goods stolen for sale. If this happens, please report it immediately. We had an incident last year when a member of the public reported seeing cans meant for use in the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) at a shop, which led to a speedy arrest,” she said. 

Shafer said that in some cases, “wanton vandalism” appears to have taken place, where instead of stealing anything, the perpetrators “simply destroyed anything from furniture to bathroom fixtures”. 

“These are pointless and malicious acts, with our children on the losing end as a result. To damage your local school is self-sabotage.”

‘Our schools’ must be protected

Shafer indicated that the cost of the recent acts of vandalism and burglary are estimated at around R10 million, and passed her condolences to the family of a security guard who was killed when he confronted perpetrators trying to gain illegal access to a Cape Town institution. 

She said that  with the South African Police Service (SAPS) and law enforcement agencies already under pressure, communities to take ownership of their schools and protect them. 

“I would like to share a comment made by one of the principals I met in Khayelitsha in the past week, which reinforces what we have seen over a number of years: schools that have a strong relationship with their surrounding communities are better protected than those that do not. He noted that the residents of the area surrounding a school should not refer to ‘that school’, but rather to ‘our school’,” she said. 

“Let us all talk about ‘our school’ from now on as we engage in conversations with our peers and neighbours. Let us change the mindsets of those that live around us. The reality is that it is “our school” – a community asset that we should all seek to protect.”