KZN a hotspot for school violence

Half of the murders that occurred in schools took place in the province

- THAMI MAGUBANE

KWAZULU-NATAL has been flagged as one of the hotspots for school violence in the country.

The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has stated that statistics show that half of the murders that occurred in schools in the last financial year took place in this province. Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape and the Western Cape have been identified as the four provinces of concern regarding general crime and criminality in the country.

The pressing issue was raised during a meeting between the Minister of Basic Education, Siviwe Gwarube and the Minister of Police, Senzo Mchunu, earlier this week. The two have signed a school safety protocol aimed at enhancing safety in schools.

Gwarube said statistics show KZN is one of the provinces of particular concern.

She noted that in the last financial year, there were 28 murders in schools, with half of them occurring in KZN.

Additionally, she reported that 11 000 burglaries took place in schools across the country, ranging from petty theft to the theft of school nutrition supplies.

Gwarube emphasised that addressing the state of violence in schools requires a plan that goes beyond merely lamenting the issue and visiting victims' parents.