KATLEGO MAMPANE
A multi-million Rand state-of-the-art mega township school in Ekhurleni was broken into the early hours of Tuesday. Robbers made off with all 185 tablets and other equipments from a newly opened R105m Menzi Primary School in
The school boasts 33 smart classrooms, two science laboratories, two computer labs, two IT control rooms and a library. It was handed over to the community of Tsakane by the Gauteng Education Department amid much fanfare on the first day of school on January 9.
It is alleged that two patrollers were tied up and locked in one of the store rooms. The criminals broke the main volt door to access the keys of the entire school in all the other volts they opened with keys. Some of the keys were left, but the school is still checking if there are any other keys missing.
The main areas broken into are the administration block and IT offices where the tablets are charged. There is evident forceful entry on the doors of all the areas they went into.
The following resources were stolen:
- All 185 learner tablets
- 8 teacher laptops
- 2 x data projectors
- 3 x desk top computers
- Plasma TV
- Petty cash of less than R500
- Digital Video Recorder (DVR) for cameras (hard drive)
“It is sad to say currently the grade 7 learners do not have any textbooks as their e-books are gone with the tablets.The department will work with law enforcement agencies to bring the perpetrators to book”.
Picture caption: MEC Panyaza Lesufi addressing learners at menzi primary school following a break in.
These are educational facilities, aimed at enhancing the quality of education, and life of children in the township. We are extremely disappointed that criminals can disrupt the education of learners in this community. However, we challenge members of the community to assist and hunt the robbers, by Friday, 18 January 2019, failing which, we will have no choice but withdraw all expensive, equipment from the said school,” says MEC Panyaza Lesufi.
The school is one of 53 smart schools handed to communities in Gauteng and the only one in the Ekurhuleni North district.
