Sadtu concerned over increased violence, robberies at schools

The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) has expressed concern about safety in schools across the country.

Sadtu says violent incidents and robberies have been occurring frequently at schools since the beginning of the 2023 academic year.

According to the union, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) was the most affected province as a result of such incidents.

“In some of these robberies, the robbers came with speed point machines and forced teachers to swipe their cards. A branch chairperson was shot but survived in a similar incident in Sweetwaters, Pietermaritzburg.

“Four perpetrators have been arrested in Pinetown and one arrested in Pietermaritzburg,” Sadtu secretariat officer, Xolani Fakude said in a statement.

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Fakude alleged that five schools have been affected in Inkandla because principals were threatened by community members who closed access roads to schools demanding service delivery from the government.

“In KwaMaphumulo, community members chased away teachers who are not from the area demanding the employment of local graduates,” he continued.

The union further warned that the violent incidents may have a negative effect on the psychological well-being of teachers and the delivery of education.

“[Some] teachers in the affected schools are requesting to be transferred to other districts because they feel unsafe. This may lead to the closure of some schools as there would be no teachers prepared to teach in such schools,” Fakude added.

Broad daylight robbery

Two months ago, gunmen stormed the Funulwazi Primary School in Imbali and made off with laptops, cell phones as well as the principal’s car.

Msunduzi Ward 19 councillor, Vusi Ngwenya, said the incident had left teachers and pupils traumatised.

“They are battling to come to terms with the fact that thugs can invade a school in broad daylight and do what they did. This incident is confirmation that crime in the area has spiralled out of control… local residents now live in fear,” Ngwenya told The Witness at the time.

The incident comes amid widespread concern about inadequate security at the school in KZN.

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The provincial Department of Education, however, denied that the lack of security was to blame for the robbery that took place at the primary school.

‘As long as people have no respect for the law, no respect for their own children attending these schools and no respect for the teachers giving their own children an education, there can never be adequate security,” KZN Department of Education spokesperson, Muzi Mahlambi said.

“Indeed, I can confirm that there are security personnel and a security fence at the Funulwazi Primary School. But the fact of the matter is that security can never be enough to deter those determined to break the law. If criminals are able to break into a police station and steal guns, surely, they would find it easier to invade a school.”