By Buziwe Nocuze
- Teachers at Zanemfundo Primary School stay away after criminals demand protection money.
- Western Cape Education Department reports threats to police and requests protection.
Teachers at Zanemfundo Primary School in Philippi East, Cape Town, stayed away from class on Monday after criminals demanded protection fees from the school.
A group of men visited the school last Friday to make their demands.
A worried parent, who asked not to be named, said children did not attend school on Monday.
“If we continue sitting back and watching while these criminals kill our kids’ future, we will be in trouble. Now that they have started asking for money in schools, soon they will be targeting people with cars,” she said.
She urged anyone who knew an extortionist to report them to the police.
“The criminals demanding money from schools, business people, and other places don’t stay alone; they have family members who know that their kids, brothers, or boyfriends are the ones who are terrorising the communities,” she said.
The parent said teachers could not be blamed if they looked for work elsewhere. “I don’t blame them for not going to school on Monday because they know that the extortionists will shoot and kill them. They can even harm children just to send a message to the teachers.
“This is sad, and our kids are going to pay a heavy price if we continue doing nothing about this,” she said.
Western Cape Education Department spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said the matter had been reported to the police. “The department has requested police presence at the school on Tuesday,” she said.
“These kinds of demands are simply unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Our schools do not pay protection fees and will not accede to such demands or threats made by any individual or group. Extortion has no place in our schools, and teaching and learning cannot be disrupted by criminals in this manner,” said Hammond.
Pictured above: Zanemfundo Primary School.
Image source: Zanemfundo Primary School Facebook
