The Eldorado Park SAPS Media Liaison Officer, Sergeant Fezeka Khobo has confirmed the arrest of two minors, aged 14 for setting up the fire that destroyed three classrooms at Lancea Secondary School on August 20.
According to Sergeant Khobo, the pair gathered a pile of books in the toilet and burned them before they proceeded to the classroom, where they used a sanitiser bottle rapped with papers to start the fire.
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“They threw it through the burglar door after setting it alight and then it exploded. Three classrooms were damaged with an estimated damage value of around R 800 000,” said Khobo.
Members of the Eldorado Park SAPS were conducting Operation Skoon Maak when they witnessed the smoke at Lancea Secondary School around 2pm.
Upon arrival, the police immediately noticed the fire in the school building and called the fire brigades.
A team of police headed by Lieutenant-Colonel Rajbelly and Lieutenant-Colonel Malatjie of Eldoradopark Police SAPS obtained information from an unnamed source that led them to the suspects.
“Three 14-year-old learners were initially arrested; the two directly involved were detained and taken to the shelter. The third learner who was the eyewitness to the crime he was released.”
According to Sergeant Khobo, the Gauteng Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni and the Gauteng District Commissioner, Major General Max Masha, were informed about the incident.
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She said the Eldorado Park police management will monitor the school per provincial and district instruction.
“The station will continue with the 72-hour turnaround strategy and ensure that immediate arrests are made as soon as the crime is reported.
“The arrest complied with the Children’s Act and the learners were taken to the place of safety at a shelter in the presence of their parents,” Sergeant Khobo further detailed.
No injuries were reported by either the police or the Emergency Medical Service, as there was no one in the destroyed classroom.
