WATCH: Mpumalanga teachers protest over safety issues at schools

Learning remained suspended at some schools in Hazyview in Mpumalanga on Tuesday as teachers staged a protest at the Department of Education’s White Hazy Circuit.

According to Cosatu, the teachers are calling on the department to strengthen security in schools amid a spate of criminal attacks on them and pupils.

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“We want schools to be taken as business entities. We want them to hire security. We want cameras at the schools. We don’t have safety there, people can just get in and out,” said the teachers in protest.

However, provincial Department of Education spokesperson Jasper Zwane said arming security guards at school would place them at a higher risk.

“Once we do that, once they’re armed they become vulnerable – soft targets. We have seen that happening, for instance in Mariti we went there, we had community engagements and since then, there is stability. It takes the community to teach a child,” Zwane told SABC.

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The department would engage with affected parties to forge a way forward on the matter.

There have been several cases of school robberies in the province, with the latest case reportedly at the Jerusalema High School, where teachers and pupils were robbed of their cellphones last week.

In November, Grade 12 pupils were robbed at the Ngazindlovu Secondary School camp in Malekutu.

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According to a police report, the school security guard was assaulted by three men, who also took out their firearms and started firing to scare him off.

Pupils were robbed of their belongings.

Watch a video of teachers’ protest, courtesy of SABC

In another case, two men were arrested following a robbery at the Khulani Primary School and Mdumseni Primary School.

The two armed suspects allegedly entered the premises at Mdumseni Primary School pretending to be parents, and then went to the staff room and held the teachers at gunpoint.

They robbed teachers and pupils of their cell phones, laptops and an undisclosed amount of cash before fleeing the scene.

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The suspects are due to appear in court soon.

“It is very much disturbing when suspects target places like schools to commit crime. Such environments are meant for teaching and learning.

“We hope that the law will take its course and an example be set for others who might consider emulating their actions,” said Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Daphney Manamela.