PICS: Vandalism, burglaries on the rise at Western Cape schools

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Cape Town - Vandalism and burglaries at schools have increased over the last year in the province, according to statistics issued by the Western Cape Education Department. The department said 30 incidents were reported to Safe Schools over the festive season, compared with 37 in the same period in 2018/19. The Metro Central District recorded the highest number of incidents, 10, while nine schools in the Cape Winelands reported incidents. On Wednesday, disgruntled parents of pupils at the Alpine Primary School in Mitchells Plain took a stand against vandalism at the school. The parents were demanding urgent repairs so that schooling could continue. One parent, Sancha Zoutman, said the school had been vandalised by members of the community over the holidays. “Now the department expects more than 1 300 pupils to use two toilet facilities as all of the others are broken. Why can’t they fix it?

“Other schools’ facilities are quickly fixed or attended to, so why not Alpine?” said Zoutman.

Contract workers have started repair work on the badly vandalised toilets at Alpine Primary school in Mitchells Plain. Picture: Henk Kruger/African News Agency (ANA)

Parents took a stand against vandalism after the school was vandalised and broken into yet again. Picture: Henk Kruger/African News Agency (ANA)

Parents took a stand against vandalism after the school was vandalised and broken into yet again. Picture: Henk Kruger/African News Agency (ANA)

Education MEC Debbie Schäfer said her department was assessing the cost of damages. “While the majority of cases have been recorded as ‘minor incidents’ (those that have estimated costs under R100000), a number of cases have significant costs attached.”

Schäfer said it must be noted that in all but one of the cases, the schools had alarm systems or security guards.

“In most cases, security guards were present. In some cases, the security guards disrupted the perpetrators; however, in other cases, the crime went unnoticed.”

She said in one case, two night guards were held at gunpoint, and in another, a shoot-out ensued between alarm company personnel and the perpetrators. None of the guards were harmed and the perpetrators got away.

“The most costly reported incident happened at a school in Caledon. The school administration block, computer room and a classroom were broken into. Doors, safety gates, and steel cabinets were damaged. Computers, keyboards, and printers were stolen.”

Schäfer appealed to communities to help protect the schools.

Mitchells Plain Community Policing Forum chairperson Abie Isaacs condemned that there had been vandalism at schools.

Contract workers have started repair work on the badly vandalised toilets at Alpine Primary school in Mitchells Plain. Picture: Henk Kruger/African News Agency (ANA)

Contract workers have started repair work on the badly vandalised toilets at Alpine Primary school in Mitchells Plain. Picture: Henk Kruger/African News Agency (ANA)

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