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By Thapelo Molefe
THE South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu) has condemned the brutal killing of a principal in KwaBhaca in the Eastern Cape and called on communities to ensure that schools are protected.
“As the union, we are extremely concerned about the rising incidents of attacks on teachers in their line of duty. The wanton criminality that is engulfing the country is also rearing its ugly head in our schools, targeting teachers and learners,” Sadtu Eastern Cape secretary Ntame Malibongwe said.
The union held a press conference on Tuesday where it demanded swift action from the police to arrest those who had killed Zakhele Primary School principal Mphakamisi Nciweni.
He was reportedly shot last week, in view of the school community, after a man entered the school premises and demanded a R50,000 “protection fee”, which was refused.
Malibongwe said demands for protection fees were not uncommon.
“Not so long ago, we witnessed attacks on teachers during working hours and had their belongings including cars and cellphones taken from them at gunpoint. As if that was not enough, schools around the Mthatha area were threatened with violence amid the demands for the so-called protection fee.
“The latest incident of the brutal assassination of Mr Nciweni is another in the lengthy list of violent incidents against teachers,” he said.
Schools were a microcosm of society and what happened in society found expression in schools, Malibongwe said.
“It is against this background that we wish to call on our communities to rise and protect our schools. They are not only protecting schools, but also the future of their children. It is only in a safe and secure environment that effective teaching and learning can take place.”
He appealed to communities, the government and civil society to join Sadtu’s “I am a school fan” campaign which sought to foster a culture of learning and teaching.
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