Local skills centre Out of the Box is being targeted by criminals.
The facility is situated at the Pavilion Centre, in Refinery Road and, in recent weeks, has been burgled twice.
Nina Venjakob, the founder of the centre, told the GCN that this has resulted in damages which will deprive 22 people of the possibility of learning a new skill.
“Instead of teaching a deserving adult a skill and helping them to start their own business, we have to replace locks, windows and equipment,” she said.
“The computer course we were about to start is on hold until we can afford to replace all the monitors and cables that were cut and ripped off the wall.”
The latest incident, on March 20, took place at 4.30am.
Venjakob said that when her worker at the premises chased after them, the thieves fired six shots at him.
Out of the Box works with people from the townships and informal settlements in the Germiston area, teaching skills to those who have none and who cannot find a job.
All the courses are aimed at making it possible for people to work from home, so that they can still take care of their families.
The skills centre is rented from Eskom and Out of the Box does not receive any government funding.
“We go out and beg for every cent, so that we can change lives and give people a future,” said Venjakob.
“These criminals need to realise that we have nothing worth stealing and that every time they break in it costs us a fortune to replace everything; we could have skilled people with this money and given them a future.”
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