Break in at ultra-modern new primary school within week of official opening
No text books for grade 7 learners as their e-books gone with the tablets
The Gauteng Department of Education has learned with shock and disappointment about the break in at Menzi Primary School in the early hours of today, 15 January 2019. Menzi Primary School, a multi-million Rand state-of-the-art mega township school, was recently handed over to the community of Tsakane on the first day of school, Wednesday, 9 January 2019.
It is alleged that; two patrollers were tied up and locked in one of the strong rooms. The criminals broke the main volt door to access the keys of the entire school. In all the other volts they opened with keys. Some of the keys were left, but the school is still checking if there are any other keys missing.
The main areas broken into are the administration block and IT offices where the tablets are charged. There is evident forceful entry on the doors of all the areas they went into.
Lesufi challenges the community to hunt robbers by Friday unless all expensive equipment to be withdrawn from Menzi Primary School
The following resources were stolen:
- All 185 learner tablets
- 8 teacher laptops
- 2 x data projectors
- 3 x desk top computers
- Plasma TV
- Petty cash of less than R500
- Digital Video Recorder (DVR) for cameras (hard drive)
A case was opened with Tsakane Police and the Case No is: 242/1/2019.
It is sad to say currently the grade 7 learners do not have any textbooks as their e-books are gone with the tablets.
The department will work with law enforcement agencies to bring the perpetrators to book.
“These are educational facilities, aimed at enhancing the quality of education, and life of children in the township. We are extremely disappointed that criminals can disrupt the education of learners in this community. However, we challenge members of the community to assist and hunt the robbers, by Friday, 18 January 2019, failing which, we will have no choice but withdraw all expensive equipment from the said school,” says MEC Panyaza Lesufi.
More about the school:
Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi together with Gauteng Premier David Makhura and other government officials opened the school in Tsakane in Ekurhuleni on January 9.
Gauteng Infrastructure Development MEC Jacob Mamabolo has officially handed over the newly built Menzi Primary School to the provincial Education Department. The school, which was previously run from a dilapidated structure, is now worth over R100 million and will benefit hundreds of children from the East Rand community.
Lesufi says the newly built Menzi Primary School is the first in Tsakane to have smart classrooms.
“This is the first primary school where our children will not smell chalk, will not be asked to go and clean a duster and will not know what’s a chalkboard.”
This school has been furnished with specialised equipment, including smart boards, science and computer labs and 33 smart classrooms
For more information, contact the Gauteng Department of Education’s Spokesperson, Steve Mabona on 072 574 3860.
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