Learners, teachers, and parents of the James Jolobe High School in Gqeberha, in the Eastern Cape, gathered on Monday, calling for improved security at the school. Their action came after two separate robberies on the school premises.
It’s alleged that in the first incident a learner was robbed after the perpetrators gave her a choice to either get raped or robbed.
In the second incident, criminals ransacked the staff room, taking valuable school equipment and teachers’ belongings.
Principal, Fundile Diamond, says: “There was robbing on Monday and on Friday. In the first incident, a girl was robbed inside the classroom, two criminals pointed her with a gun and asked her to choose between robbing and rape. So they took her phone and money.
We reported that matter and took the girl to psychological services from the department. In the second, we were in the office three armed guys came and took the laptops and phones.”
Community demands improved security at James Jolobe High School:
The school is not fenced. Learners and teachers are at the mercy of criminals.
Victims of the latest incidents are receiving counselling.
“We are really scared and traumatised. We are here because we need to be, but we are not coping. It is painful to see your teachers running around and crying. We do not feel safe or protected here, we need the government to do something,” one of the learners told SABC News.
“This is the Youth Month, we are hoping that the government prioritises us as the youth. It is impossible to learn under these conditions. It is hard to study when you are afraid. We need someone to help us,” added another learner.
Parents are now faced with a difficult choice of prioritising their children’s safety or education.
The only reason I let my child come to school today is because they are writing exams, and I don’t want her to fall behind. But if it were for me, I’d let her stay at home. This is bad, we need the government to assist. Our children are really not safe here, we can’t get robbed two times in one week,” says School Governing Body (SGB) member, Zalisile Mboso.
The department of education says it’s in the process of fencing unfenced schools and James Jolobe High is on that list.
