KZN accounts for nearly half of school murders
Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube says KwaZulu-Natal schools had the highest number of murders in the 2023/2024 financial year.
Gwarube launched a new school safety campaign with the national police in Cape Town on Tuesday.
It aims to tackle the alarming rates of violence and crime in schools.
"There were 28 murders within our basic education institutions. Shockingly, nearly half occurred in KwaZulu-Natal, and 46% of these murders involved learner-on-learner violence,” Gwarube said.
"Two-thirds of rapes in our schools also involved learner-on-learner violence, and more than 11,000 burglaries took place during that financial year."
READ: Over 130 KZN schools damaged in recent storm
Gwarube said a committee will be formed at each school, which will consist of principals, SGBs, and police.
They will work together to ensure schools are linked to local police stations.
" This committee will also be responsible for ensuring that incidents of egregious crimes are reported to the police. We are also implementing school-based crime prevention programs that address gender-based violence, bullying, gangsterism, alcohol and drug abuse, and the possession of weapons,” Gwarube added.
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