Pupils and parents are urged to be vigilant when travelling to and from school.
The warning was issued by the Yeoville SAPS.The warning comes after the attempted kidnapping of a 14-year-old girl on Wednesday last week.
“The girl was returning home after school when three men grabbed her. The suspects tried to force her into a car parked on the side of the road.
The girl began screaming and managed to attract the attention of a man who was driving past. The man began shouting at the suspects who then fled the scene in their vehicle,” said Const Malatji.
Although the suspects did not flee with the girl, they did manage to steal her cellular phone.
Const Malatji urged pupils to not walk alone when possible.
“Try to walk in groups. It will make it harder for a kidnapper to attack you if you are in a group. Parents must also ensure their children are with adults when travelling to and from school. Unfortunately there are some sick people out there who want to harm our children,” he said.
Const Malatji commended the motorist who helped the pupil.
“He did a great job and he managed to save a life. If he had turned a blind eye to the situation, we would be telling a different story now,” said Const Malatji.
He called on those who might have witnessed the incident to contact the Yeoville SAPS.
*Ms Lerato Nkosi, the pupil’s mother, thanked the man who helped her daughter. She also called on the community to work together in the fight against crime, especially crime targeting women.
“There needs to be a consolidated strategy that comprises collaboration between parents, teachers and the police, together with the relevant stakeholders. In the early hours of the morning and the afternoon, visible policing should be strengthened. A lot of these children live in the neighbourhood and this means much more should be anticipated.” she said.
Ms Nkosi suggested that the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) do more to protect the pupils.
“While we are trying to advance schools’ technology, another gap is opening for criminals. This is another recipe for the victimisation of the children who are trying to build their future for an economically viable South Africa,” said Ms Nkosi.
She added that there is a need for strong social cohesion within society.
“We need to build a strong social force, geared towards dealing with this sort of incident,” she said.
*Not her real name.
