Kuschke Agricultural School the latest burglary victim

POLOKWANE – The wave of school burglaries in Limpopo continues unabated, with Kuschke Agricultural School becoming the latest target.

The burglary occurred last Thursday at around 23:00, with armed criminals stealing valuable items including laptops and printers.

This follows a string of similar incidents, including a previous break-in at Taxila Secondary School, which drew condemnation from both Education MEC Mavhungu Lerule-Ramakhanya and local law enforcement authorities.

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According to John Teffo, the secretary of the Public Servants Association (PSA) in Limpopo, the security officer on duty at Kuschke Agricultural School was overpowered by the criminals.

“They forced him to accompany them, broke the burglar bars to gain entry, tied him up with wire and his belt, and proceeded to vandalise the offices,” Teffo said.

The thieves stole all available laptops and destroyed the security camera recording system, taking the hard drive with them.

This incident echoes a previous burglary at Taxila, where technical items also seemed to have been targeted.

The PSA raised concerns that the theft occurred during a critical period as the school was preparing for final examinations. The union expressed the hope that the break-in would not disrupt the school’s preparations and called on the Education Department to upgrade security measures at schools.

On Monday, the MEC, alongside the Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube, visited several schools in the city, including Kuschke, to discuss the current state and future of education in the province.

Matome Taueatswala, spokesperson for the MEC, acknowledged the seriousness of the burglaries and stressed that these incidents were hindering educational progress.

He confirmed that the MEC would push for a thorough assessment of security systems in schools to ensure improved safety measures.