Lancea Vale Secondary School in Elodorado Park. Picture: Johannesburg Emergency Services.
As grade 12 pupils write their preliminary exams in Eldorado Park, education activist Hendrick Makaneta is calling on the government to install CCTV cameras in all high-risk areas around Eldorado Park.
Fear continues to grip Eldorado Park following the devastating fire at Lancea Vale Secondary School in the suburb on Tuesday.
The blaze caused significant damage to three classrooms. This attack on the Eldorado Park school comes as gang violence in the area has spilled into its schools, with the same school witnessing one pupil stabbing another last week.
Makaneta has called on government to take action and protect schools in Eldorado Park.
“This heinous act of vandalism not only destroys physical infrastructure but also undermines the very foundation of our education system.
ALSO READ: Classrooms set ablaze at Eldorado Park school [VIDEO]
“At a time when we should be prioritising learning and academic excellence, such destructive behavior sets us back and deprives future generations of their right to quality education. Schools are sacred spaces for growth, development, and empowerment, and their destruction is a loss for our entire community,” Makaneta said.
Makaneta said the state has a duty to ensure a “safe learning environment for learners and educators.”
“The installation of CCTV cameras is a necessary step in protecting our schools and communities. We cannot afford to wait until another incident occurs.
“We demand swift action from the authorities to Identify schools in high-risk areas. The government should immediately install CCTV cameras in these schools to ensure proper monitoring and maintenance,” Makaneta added.
Meanwhile, Gauteng Education, Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation MEC, Matome Chiloane, said he was concerned by the fire in the Eldorado Park school’s grade 8 and grade 9 blocks.
“We will not tolerate violence or gangsterism perpetuated in around and our schools. In the same breath, we are closely monitoring the situation, and we are certain that learning and teaching will resume accordingly at the school.”
Last year, Chiloane unveiled an action plan that included the deployment of guards to 75 schools, hand-held detectors to help with screening for weapons, CCTV camera installations and the distribution of e-panic buttons to more than 3 000 staff in 245 schools.
Additional reporting by Nicholas Zaal
ALSO READ: Gang violence casts shadow over Eldorado Park exams
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