LIMPOPO – FOURTEEN laptops were stolen from Vhulaudzi Secondary School near Louis Trichardt when a group of men broke into the school on Sunday evening.
The principal, Mukondeleli Makwarela, said a group of armed men allegedly forced the security officer on duty to open the office where the laptops were kept.
“There were learners studying in one of the classrooms and one of the thugs took their cell phones, money at gun point and another learner was assaulted. They threatened to kill them if they screamed. The thugs also injured the guard and used an iron bar to open the office before taking all 14 laptops,” said Makwarela.
He said the learners have received counselling from Siloam Hospital and from the school.
“We received these laptops from the provincial department of education in June last year and Telkom technicians updated and installed a satellite for us. The learners used them to download learning material and to apply online for admission to various universities,” he said.
“We have opened a case of housebreaking and theft,” he said. The chairperson of the school governing body, Albert Mafhala said he was happy the learners were coping after the traumatic experience and that lessons had continued with any interruptions.
“It is disturbing because the laptops helped more than 700 learners. We wish the department of education could employ trained security guards who can protect the premises. Loosing 14 laptops is a setback to our learners,” said Mafhala.
The department of education’s senior manager: communications, Naledzani Rasila said the theft of computers at schools was known to the department and communities should report any unusual movement at schools, especially in the evenings.
Rasila said laptops were valuable material that helped to educate learners and people should support the police by giving information that could lead to the arrest of the perpetrators.
“We can’t request the police to go and guard schools because they have a lot of work to do. We are working day and night with different stakeholders to curb this incident,” he said.
The spokesperson for the Siloam police, WO Edward Tharaga, said they have opened cases of housebreaking, pointing with a firearm and theft. Investigations are underway,” said Tharaga.
- Amos Muravha (Vhulaudzi Secondary School) and Albert Mafhala (SGB, chairperson) inspect the door that was broken during a robbery at the school, where 14 laptops were stolen.
