Durban — Teachers at a high school in the Pinetown district invigilating exams on Friday were uneasy and afraid after gun-wielding robbers dressed as pupils held up staff the previous day.
The armed robbery, which happened on Thursday morning while pupils were writing their exams forced the school to close early, resulting in the Grade 8 and 9 pupils not sitting for their Natural Science (Grade 8) and IsiZulu (Grade 9) exams that afternoon.
Police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda confirmed that a case of business robbery was being investigated by KwaNdengezi SAPS.
“It is alleged that unknown men entered the school in KwaNdengezi and held the staff before robbing them of their cellphones. No shots were fired and no injuries were reported,” said Netshiunda.
It is believed that the robbers gained access to Dick Ndlovu High School dressed in school uniform and pretended to be from a neighbouring primary school.
The group said they had been sent to ask for ink and were directed to the school principal, who was in the staff room with some staff members.
Once there, the suspects apparently forced teachers to lie on the ground and robbed them of their cellphones, at gunpoint. It is alleged that on the way out the robbers opened a car that was parked close to the staff room and took a bag that contained a laptop.
Muzi Mahlambi, spokesperson for the Department of Education, said the issue of security at schools was highly compromised by crime in the communities they were in.
“You will find that what is happening in schools reflects the communities; this crime is also experienced in the communities. If you go to other communities where there is no crime, there’s no crime in the school. Unfortunately, we don’t have enough money to have security guards at all our schools. The rampant crime in society doesn’t end in schools. We have seen pastors robbed inside churches while on the pulpit, and crime in the country is a problem that we as only one department can’t fight without the community’s help.”
Mahlambi said due to the Grade 8 and 9 exams being an internal one, it would be rescheduled.
“More than arranging another day to write, what has happened affects pupils psychologically and emotionally, having prepared for an exam and not ending up writing it.”
Sadtu provincial secretary Nomarashiya Caluza said such criminal acts disrupted the order of the day at schools as traumatised teachers and pupils could not simply carry on as normal.
“Between February and March we had more than 20 schools in the Pinetown district where such robberies happened and where criminals went to the extent of carrying speed points for teachers to use their bank cards.
“In as much as we understand that there is a safety strategy of the department, it maybe needs reviewing because it is not helping, and this is why we continue to have incidents such as these.”
She said issues of safety and security at schools should not only rest on the department, but communities around the schools should also play a role in protecting their schools.
Sunday Tribune