Mpumalanga Community Safety, Security and Liaison MEC Jackie Macie today (03 September 2024) led a team of law enforcers to four schools in Masoyi policing precinct to conduct random searches unannounced.
The searches are part of the School Safety Programme of the Department working together with the Department of Education and other stakeholders.
Today’s operation was conducted by SAPS members from different units, officials from Department of Correctional Services, Traffic Officers and Promotion of Safety officials from DCSSL and Law Enforcement officers from City of Mbombela.
The schools visited are Bhekiswako, Siphumelele, Khanyisani and Lungisani secondary schools.
The schools were identified by the Department of Education.
Knives, a panga, hammers, dagga, illicit cigarettes and crushed pills were confiscated from the learners of the four schools.
MEC Macie says it is worrying to discover that learners bring weapons and dagga to school where they are supposed to be learning.
“Learning and teaching should be respected, this thing of learners bringing weapons and drugs in school should be curbed immediately. That is why we will continue to have these unannounced visits to support the Department of Education to create safer environment for teaching and learning.
“These learners are our future and if we cannot nip it in the bud, the future of our country is doomed. Instead of breeding academics, we will be breeding criminals in schools.
That is why we need communities at large to work with us to create safer schooling environment and for parents to monitor their children and ensure that they don’t carry unwanted items to school and that they adhere to the code of conduct of their schools,” he said.
