The National Commissioner of the South African Police Service has condemned in the strongest possible terms the attack on police and youth desk members at Freedom Park Secondary School in Eldorado Park.
Police were conducting a school search as part of the School Based Crime Prevention which is intended to enrich the participation of police officers in promoting safe and orderly school environments when they were attacked with stones by the learners.
Three of the learners aged 15 have been detained for public violence while a 20 year old learner was arrested for possession of dagga and a dangerous weapon, a knife.
The Eldorado Police accompanied by their Youth Desk members this morning arrived at the Freedom Park Secondary School as per their arrangement with the school’s principal the previous day, to search for drugs and dangerous weapons.
The SAPS has a partnership in place with the Department of Basic Education to prevent, manage and respond to incidents of crime and violence in schools. As part of the ongoing School Safety Programme, prevention of crime in schools is ensured with random searches that are conducted. Today the police were conducting such a search primarily looking for drugs and dangerous weapons when the learners allegedly started throwing stones at the police and members of youth desk.
This resulted in two police officers sustaining injuries and left the youth desk members in shock. It is further alleged that there were shots fired from the direction of the learners but no one sustained any gunshot wound. One police vehicle was damaged by the stones that were thrown at the police by the learners.
The National commissioner has warned against such acts citing this has being a total disregard for the law and equated this incident to the attack on the authority of the State. He has wished the members that have been injured a speedy recovery and has also praised the bravery displayed by the members of the SAPS Eldorado Youth Desk.
The well-functioning of Youth Desks at policing precincts are fortifying the participation of the youth in the fight against crime which is in line with the SAPS Youth Crime Prevention Strategy. This strategy aims to take the youth out of reach of criminals and therefore enhancing active citizenry and community involvement in the fight against crime as outlined by the Community Policing Strategy. The National Commissioner has also directed that the members of youth desk be afforded a debriefing by our Employee Health and Wellness.
“The police will continue to enforce the prevention and early intervention to support schools in consistently delivering teaching and learning in an environment that is physically and socially safe. That is in line with the country’s vision 2030 to ensure that people in South Africa are and feel safe. The attack on police and state property should be condemned by all sectors of society,” said General Sitole.
The three learners detained for public violence will be released in the care of their parents until their appearance in court soon while the learner arrested for possession of dagga and a dangerous weapon will be in custody until his appearance in court.
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