Vagrants preying on Laerskool Goudrand Grade R School
The Laerskool Goudrand Primary School and community members want the building to be demolished.
Vagrants living in the vandalised Old Martin School building are suspected of numerous burglaries at nearby Laerskool Goudrand.
The vandalised building is on the corner of Eighth Street and Fifth Avenue, neighbouring their Grade R building.
According to the Goudrand Primary principal Gert Botes, thieves made a hole through the wall of a storeroom in their Grade R building.
“These thieves are stealing whatever they can get their hands on. Recently, thieves broke into our mobile classroom and stole everything inside it, including chairs and the electric cables.
“In December, thieves broke into the outside rooms and stole the belongings of the people living there,” said Botes, adding this thievery is costing the school a lot of money in replacement of equipment.
“We have to go as far as putting up extra security, and that’s expensive. The vandalised building also poses a danger to our children because they have to walk past it. This building should be demolished or given to us to extend our school and classrooms.
“By extending our Grade R school, we will be able to absorb more learners and create more employment,” explained Botes.
He added they are always worried about what will happen over a weekend.
Lydia du Preez, who lives near the derelict building, said the vagrants are demolishing the school for scrap.
“During the evenings, we hear hammering and in the early morning, a wall collapses. When I peep through my window, I see the damage done and people cutting up the steel from the building,” she explained.
In an article by Boksburg Advertiser published on July 24, the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development (DID) stated it planned to demolish the building.
Alfred Nhlapo, DID acting spokesperson, said a recent inspection of the property revealed vagrants illegally occupying it.
“The property has been transferred to the Gauteng provincial government,” said Nhlapo.
“Our immediate plan is to demolish the structure. We do not have records that the department planned to turn the building into a heritage site.”
Also Read: Government says it will demolish old Martin School building
Also Read: Building vandalised: Boksburg’s heritage under threat
