More than 400 Gauteng schools vandalised during lockdown

Schools in the province have always been seen as easy targets by criminals, and the lockdown and subsequent closure of schools seems to have worsened the situation.

The department’s deputy director-general Albert Chanee told parliament’s basic education committee on Tuesday that 54 schools were damaged since the start of this year.

Chanee says estimated costs to fix the 54 schools is R53 million.

"The targeting of schools by criminals during South Africa's Covid-19 lockdown has had negative impact on school infrastructure. Since the lockdown period was instituted 401 schools have been affected by the criminal elements that include Arson, vandalism and break-ins in Gauteng.

“In all burglaries, learner and teaching equipment has been stolen together with ICT items.The most common target areas in schools are administration blocks for information snd communication technology equipment and nutrition centre's for food items.None of the 54 schools were not functional prior to the closure of schools as a result of vandalism.”

Chanee says 15 schools have been burgled more than once.

"The Gauteng Department of Education is planning on provision of full electronic system in high priority schools that should be linked to police stations and armed security response teams which is a costly exercise.

“The GDE, Gauteng Department of Community Safety, SAPS and Gauteng Provincial Community Police Board are working on a school safety plan that would be linking high priority schools to cluster armed response teams to respond to alerts that are provided electronically.”

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