WC schools fall victim to burglaries - again

The Western Cape Department of Education (WCED) has continuously battled with school vandalism and burglaries during school holidays. This year’s December/January vacation period was no different.

Despite efforts from the department to curb the number of incidents, vandals still seem to find their way in. During the 2023 end of year holidays, 26 incidents of burglary and vandalism at 24 schools were reported across the province.

This still marks a significant decrease when compared to the same period last year, when 48 incidents were reported at 42 schools. The decrease in these reported incidents is highly attributed to efforts from the department, which subsidised holiday security to 486 schools.

The stolen or damaged items ranged from gas cylinders and food to computers and cameras. The affected vandalised school property included electrical boxes, windows, ceilings, doors, and security equipment.

“It is unacceptable that funding has to be diverted from educational purposes each year to replace items that have been stolen, or repair infrastructure damaged for no reason, especially in a significantly stressed financial environment.” – MEC David Maynier

Maynier appealed to those guilty of committing these acts to stop and emphasized that the act of damaging and stealing from schools jeopardizes children’s futures. The department has asked the public to step forward if they notice anyone attempting to sell goods stolen from schools.

“Someone, somewhere knows these perpetrators, and we appeal to them to do the right thing so that our schools cease to be a target of crime.”

Reports of suspicious activity near schools can be made to the South African Police Services (SAPS) or the Safe Schools hotline (0800 45 46 47). Prompt reporting can make a significant difference in apprehending the culprits and recovering stolen property.

“Help us to protect our schools and the future of our learners in the Western Cape!”