President Cyril Ramaphosa Calls on Citizens to Ensure Schools Are a No-Go Zone for Criminals

• President Cyril Ramaphosa wants South African residents to help ensure that schools are a crime-free zone
• Ramaphosa stated that communities, school governing bodies and other social society groups should work together and make sure schools are safe
• The president also called on the private sector to help modernise schools and expand infrastructure

JOHANNESBURG - President Cyril Ramaphosa has called on South Africans to ensure that schools are a no-go zone for criminals. The president was speaking at the South African Democratic Teachers Union ( Sadtu) National General Council (NGC) in Kempton Park on Tuesday, 4 October, when he made these remarks.

Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga, Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, and Labour and Employment Minister Thulas Nxesi are among those attending the three-day meeting.

Several schools across the country have seen incidents of violent crimes, from learners and teachers being attacked and robbed by criminals to a gunman opening fire at a school in KwaZulu-Natal.

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Ramaphosa stated that his administration was concerned about increased crimes committed against teachers and pupils on school grounds.

The president urged school governing bodies (SGBs), community police forums (CPFs), community members, businesses and the police to work together and ensure schools are safe, reports SABCNews.

"The fact that teachers can be attacked in class in schools and some of them stabbed or killed, is something we have never heard of," said Ramaphosa.

HeraldLIVE reported that Ramaphosa also urged the private sector to assist in modernising and expanding school infrastructure to benefit all pupils, particularly in impoverished areas.

He stated that teachers and leaders cannot wait 75 years for a school to be built or renovated with a hall, staff room, laboratory, library, or ablution facility.

Gunman terrorises KZN primary school, stabs security guard and two other adults

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Briefly News previously reported that An allegedly deranged man entered a Pietermaritzburg primary school, attacked three adults and opened fire on the premises.

The gunman breached Alston Primary School through a pedestrian gate and proceeded to assault a security guard employed at the school. The man stabbed the security guard with a screwdriver before disarming him of his gas firearm.

According to The Witness, the dreadlocked man fired blank gunshots from the gas pistol. Even though the gunshots weren't actual, they sounded authentic to the unsuspecting pupils waiting to be picked up from school.

Source: Briefly News