Cape Town - A Valhalla Park school has been hit by thieves who stole food meant for the school’s feeding scheme, damaged the geyser, left a gaping hole in the kitchen ceiling and flooded the room.
Beauvallon Secondary School pupils who use the feeding scheme did not receive a meal yesterday morning because of the theft.
Principal David Lawn said the break-in happened on Sunday, just days after 24-hour security, provided by the provincial Department of Transport and Public Works, was taken away from the school.
“Church groups saw people here and informed the police. They (the burglars) wore balaclavas. The roof is open now. If it rains we are going to have a problem.”
He said vandalism had stopped while the school had 24-hour security.
The school was among 17 facing closure, which received a temporary court reprieve in December.
Siphesihle Dube, spokesman for the provincial Department of Public Works, said that in anticipation of the closure (halted by a court interdict) Public Works property management had provided security for the school “in a bid to protect the asset while it stood inactive, pending a decision on how to then make use of the land/property in future”.
“When the school re-opened, any obligation on our part to provide security for the school no longer existed and the security contract was then cancelled (on March 6) as custodianship remained with the Western Cape Education Department (WCED),” he said.
Bronagh Casey, spokeswoman for Education MEC Donald Grant, said the burglary had been reported to the WCED and the Bishop Lavis police.
“According to the school the perpetrators entered through the kitchen, located on the top floor. The geyser, valves, copper pipes, ceilings, roof and electrical box were damaged. The geyser leaked due to the damage. This resulted in water damage in one of the classrooms below.”
Casey said the damage was still being assessed.
She said Safe Schools would be visiting the school today to discuss future security arrangements.
Cape Argus