Johannesburg – The Gauteng Department of Education has reported that tablets that were stolen from Menzi Primary School have been found at a shop on the corner of Mooi and Helen Joseph Street in Johannesburg.
Spokesperson to the MEC of Education Gauteng, Steve Mabona says that the department is excited about the discovery.
“The department is excited at the discovery and we are indebted to the police for their work,” says Mabona.
Mabona says that they are disappointed in the shop for selling stolen goods.
“They haven’t found everything found everything but this will help them apprehend the criminals” Mabona continues.
Two suspects have been arrested and are being processed at the Johannesburg Central Police Station.
MEC for Education in Gauteng Panyaza Lesufi visited Menzi Primary School on Thursday evening, following a robbery at the smart school on Tuesday, less than a week after the school was opened.
“We got a message on Tuesday morning there was a break in and that seven or eight people came here, I’m told, from 11pm to 4am and took over the school from the community,” he says.
Lesufi says the modus operandi was sophisticated and could not have been carried out by common criminals.
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“I want the principal to explain to you so you can see what happened here was not done by ‘nyaope boys’.
“This was very sophisticated, highly organised and done by very experienced people,” Lesufi continued.
The principal of the school, Ndumiso Mnguni, narrated the story of the robbery as he heard it saying:
“On Tuesday morning, I found the police at the school who then informed me of the robbery.
“Upon entering, I realised the burglar bars and the glass door to the admin building were broken,” says Mnguni.
“The criminals broke into the strong room and removed the CCTV footage from the memory box.
“They then proceeded to take the keys and cleaned us out,” he says.
The principal says the stolen items include 185 tablets, eight laptops, desktops, an overhead projector, a plasma TV and a number of keys to the school.
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“One of the patrollers says they were taken by one of the robbers to the side of the school where the hall is and told to call the security guard who was employed by the school.
“He was nowhere to be seen.
“The patroller was then taken to the strong room and locked in there,” Mnguni continues.
The security guard, who was found with an unlicensed firearm, is in custody and will be appearing in court soon.
Buyisile Simelane, a parent of a Menzi Primary School, says that a man known only as Mr Mathe told parents, who were gathered outside the school on the morning of January 15, that he will take them to where the stolen goods are and they will retrieve them.
“Mr Mathe then said that he will go and get the principal so we can go and get the things but he was told by two men that it would be to his benefit to leave the matter alone,” says Simelane.
Lesufi says the full name and details of Mr Mathe will be given to the police who will interview him.
Parent and community member Mpho Tsotetsi says she believes it cannot be people from Langaville who are involved in the robbery because they are proud of the school.
“Neighbouring communities are not happy about the development in Langaville, so it could be people from there.
“How can we as the community of Langaville destroy something so special to us?” asks Tsotestsi, who intends to register her child at Menzi Primary School for the 2020 academic year.
The MEC has asked that anyone with information contact 073 197 4545. The principal of Menzi Primary School can also be contacted on 082 556 7553.
