A teacher was injured and 50 cellphones stolen when two suspects held up Sea Point High School on Wednesday during examinations.
The teachers, pupils and concerned parents are in a state of shock following the incident which occured at 10am. The educator is seeking medical attention after being hit in the face with a gun. The men managed to gain access to the property by jumping a fence.
Western Cape Education MEC, Debbie Schäfer, confirmed the incident and said two assailants allegedly “assaulted an educator with a gun and made off with 50 cell phones”.
In a statement Schäfer said, “The police and the WCED’s Safe Schools were contacted. The WCED’s Specialised Support directorate has been informed and the school has a counsellor and a psychologist on site for learners who require support and counselling.”
“The school has a security guard and CCTV cameras and we hope that the police will use the camera footage to identify the suspects and ensure they face the full might of the law. I have also requested that this case be added to the Watching Brief Lists and my office has already made contact with the Sea Point police,” she said.
Schäfer shared her concern over criminals becoming so brazen in broad daylight, especially at a place which is meant to be a safe space for learners and educators. “They enter school premises on a busy road, in broad day light, and not even a strong security presence, CCTV footage or fencing serve as a deterrent.”
“I am again appealing to the communities around our schools to report any suspicious activity to the police or our Safe Schools immediately. This action could save a life. Our Safe Schools Call Centre can be reached on 0800 45 46 47. I also urge anyone with information on Wednesday’s robbery to please contact the SAPS, so that the perpetrators can be arrested,” said a concerned Schäfer.
A case of armed robbery is being investigated.