Fear over matric disturbance as thieves steal a month-long supply of food at a Limpopo school

Teachers and pupils at Boke High School in Bokhuta outside Relela near Tzaneen will go to classes with empty stomachs after thieves cleaned out the school kitchen, stealing all its food on Monday morning.

The food was supposed to last the school for about a month.

The school falls under quintile one to three of poor communities and it is located in an impoverished area where most families depend on the government’s free basic needs handouts such as food parcels and social grants for survival.

The Limpopo department of basic education has tabled a budget of R1.53 billion for the school nutrition programme to all schools from poor communities in Limpopo’s five regions this financial year.

A total of 3 601 schools, according to the department, will be served meals on every school day through the programme.

The beneficiaries are primary and secondary school pupils and pupils from 35 special primary and secondary schools.

On Tuesday, school governing body (SGB) chairperson Herrel Monyela said it was disgusting that there were still heartless people in the community who would go to the extent of stealing foodstuffs meant to feed their own children.

Monyela said those who steal from children were heartless morons and merciless thugs who should burn in hell and rot in jail.

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“We will speak to the school management to ensure that learning and teaching does not stop because of the theft,” he said.

“We had hoped to improve our matric performance this year. We took number one spot out of all the schools in our circuit.

“We have spoken to parents to meet us halfway by giving their children the little they have to supplement what the school is able to provide while talks are underway with the relevant authorities.

“Our primary objective is that no child should go hungry while in the school environment, either because of the impoverished background of their parents or because of stupid thugs who steal from the poor,” he said.

During a meeting yesterday, parents decided to part ways with the security company responsible for security services at the school.

The Citizen attended the meeting. Police said a case of theft and burglary had been opened at the Tzaneen police station and investigations were continuing.