R10 000 reward for information on school robberies

Western Cape Minister of Education, Debbie Schafer, has offered a R10 000 reward for any information regarding the perpetrators of four armed attacks on schools in the Western Cape.

“In the last three weeks there have been 4 separate armed attacks on our schools. The armed robberies were timed to take place just after the school day had ended, with learners and educators still participating in after-school activities and meetings,” Schafer said on Tuesday.

Educators and staff were threatened at gunpoint, and robbed of their personal items. In one of the robberies, a vehicle was also stolen from the premises of the school.

All four incidents left staff traumatised and in fear of their safety.

The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has made sure to provide additional security at the affected schools, as well as trauma counseling.

It is not yet confirmed whether the attacks are related, but Schafer said it is clear that the Western Cape’s schools are being targeted for specific reasons, and at a certain time of day.

“These criminals need to be stopped before they attack another school,” Schafer said.

A R10 000 reward for information that will lead to the arrest and conviction of these individuals has been offered. “The reward will be shared if there is more than one person who provides evidence that results in a conviction and if more than one person provides the same information, the reward will be given to the first person who comes forward,” she added.

The reward will be paid in cash. The anonymity of the caller will be secured unless it is required that they give evidence personally.

“The WCED is not a security agency and we cannot investigate and make arrests ourselves – but we are determined to do what we can to assist in securing convictions to prevent similar attacks on our schools,” she said.

This is the first time in the history of the WCED that a reward has been posted to find perpetrators, but the department feels strongly about this.

Schafer urges schools to remain vigilant, and to ensure that their Access Control policies are in place.

The schools and the dates of the armed robberies are as follows:

Members of the public with information pertaining to the armed robberies must please contact our WCED Safe Schools hotline on 0800 45 46 47 – this is a toll free number.

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