Cape Town - Khayelitsha teacher’s car was torched earlier this week during school hours in the parking lot of the school where he teaches.
Maths teacher Zandisile Somahla was too distraught to speak when the Cape Times visited the school on Wednesday.
Police are investigating a case of malicious damage to property. No arrests have been made.
Police spokesperson Frederick van Wyk referred further comment to the provincial education department.
The incident has traumatised teachers and pupils at Manyano High School, said principal Nokuzola Magaza.
Education MEC Debbie Schäfer’s spokesperson, Jessica Shelver, said the incident has resulted in the Safe Schools division conducting a security risk assessment, while they will also debrief the school staff.
She said the school has six safety volunteers who use a sign-in register at the gate for anyone entering the premises.
Shelver said at approximately 3pm, an unknown man jumped over the school fence and attempted to enter the school building.
“The safety volunteers prevented this and asked him to leave,” said Shelver, adding that minutes later, the unknown man returned and reportedly threw a flammable substance around the teacher’s vehicle and set it alight.
She said: “The unknown man then ran away and the staff and safety volunteers attempted to extinguish the fire by using fire extinguishers, water and sand.”
By the time the police and fire and rescue services arrived at the scene, the car had burnt out, said Shelver.
Magaza told the Cape Times that it was not clear why the man had torched the car.
“This is a very sensitive matter and the police have asked us not to speak to the media as that might jeopardise the investigation,” she said.
“Teachers tried to douse the fire, but the car was already in flames,” said Magwaza.
The incident happened two days before Schäfer and mayor Patricia de Lille was to launch the School Resource Officer Unit, together with US consul general Teddy Taylor.
The unit, which will be launched on Thursday at Cedar High School in Mitchells Plain, comprises of 36 law enforcement officers who will be deployed to 12 different areas which include Nyanga, Gugulethu, Hanover Park, Bishop Lavis, Manenberg and Delft.
The unit would help reduce and prevent school-related violence and crime through building partnerships between 18 schools.
“The officers have received extensive training from the United States embassy in the use of firearms, pepper spray and radio procedures, as well as by-law training,” said Shelver.
@PhalisoSandiso
Cape Times