A school safety programme initiated by the Mamelodi Local and Long Distance Taxi Association (MALLDTA) which entailed a surprise search operation at various schools in Mamelodi, has resulted in various learners being found in possession of knives,dagga(marijuana) and alcohol.
The search operation started at the Mamelodi Secondary School on Tuesday where several learners were found in possession of dagga (marijuana).
The operation then moved to Tsako Thabo Secondary School, where a learner was found in possession of a kitchen knife, dagga and cigarettes in his bag.
J Kekana Secondary School was also raided by the search team and dagga, scissors and a bottle of beer were found in possession of one of the learners there.
At all three schools learners were shocked and confused by the search operation carried out by MALLDTA and SAPS.
The SAPS, CPF, a private security company as well as the Mamelodi West Brigade accompanied the MALLDTA search team at all schools that were raided.
“We have established a schools safety programme which is a joint venture together with the SAPS in Mamelodi in terms of which we conduct search operations on learners at schools, this after realising that learners bring weapons to schools, sell dagga, drugs and do all the bad things at schools and our operation was very successful,” said MALLDTA chairperson Stemmer Monageng while speaking to Tshwane Talks at Tsako Thabo Secondary School, which is one of the schools that were raided.
“Girls and boys alike are involved in these illicit activities and from now on we are no longer going to announce as to which schools will be raided but will just conduct surprise operations,” he said.
“We are calling upon learners to stop all illegal activities at schools because we are determined to expose them and subject them to the might of the law,” enthused Monageng.
Sergeant Maila from the Mamelodi West Police Station who also works as the station’s communications officer was also part of the search operation and she told Tshwane Talks the following:
“We found illegal substances like dagga, dangerous weapons like knives and also alcohol in possession of some of the learners, and one of the learners found in possession of a knife at Tsako Thabo Secondary School told us that he carried the knife in order to protect himself from the bullying that he is subjected to in the school bus that he uses when going to school.”
Maila said the SAPS collaborated with other law-enforcement entities in the search operation and private security companies and that the aim of the operation is to make sure that both learners and teachers are safe and that teachers can do their job without any risks to their lives.
“We do such operations very often at various schools and these latest operations are aimed at making sure that exams are written under safety conditions at all schools in Mamelodi,” said Sergeant Maila.
She urged learners to listen to advice from their teachers and parents so as to avoid doing bad things and focus on good things that will bring them a brighter future.
“Learners must make sure that they don’t find themselves on the wrong side of the law because having a criminal record will jeopardise their chances of being employed in law-enforcement agencies in the future,” warned Maila.
She added that even when there are no reported incidents of crime at schools, she and other police officers do embark on random visits to schools to speak to learners.