Gangsterism that has unfurled in Khutsong schools will be brought to a halt‚ warned Gauteng MEC for Education Panyaza Lesufi.
Speaking at a meeting at Badirile High School on Friday afternoon following widespread gang violence in the area that affected school‚ Lesufi said law enforcement agencies would be key in bringing culprits to book.
Three people died during recent clashes between pupils believed to be members of gangs in Khutsong.
“The bottom line is that I can’t be scared of my own children. We need whoever that can assist us to ensure this remains a schooling environment rather than a fighting environment‚” said Lesufi.
“Unfortunately in the next few days‚ until you write your examinations‚ we are going to make the situation very impairable for those that want to disrupt learning. We need to ensure that whoever is not prepared to be a student is not in the classroom‚” said Lesufi.
Lesufi‚ who had earlier met Khutsong police officials to discuss their investigations‚ said the officials had found 84 pupils were implicated in gangsterism in Badirile school.
“If our schools need to be mini military camps‚ so be it. We are going to bring police dogs here to search people every hour. We will also have undercover police who will seize and take over this institution. We can’t surrender to criminals because the day you do that‚ that’s the end of our lives‚” said the MEC.
He apologised in advance for the inconvenience that will be caused by the presence of police at the school‚ adding that “I want to assure learners that we are not here to cheap talk‚ we are here to act.”