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The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (SADTU), the largest union of education workers in South Africa, strongly condemns the robbery at the newly-built state-of-the-art Menzi Primary school in Tsakane where nearly 200 tablets, teachers’ laptops and projectors were among the items  stolen.

This unfortunate incident has happened hardly a week after the school was officially opened and handed over to the community.

We urge police to leave no stone unturned to find these criminals.  We are however, aware that police cannot solve this matter without the cooperation of the general public.  We therefore urge the community of Tsakane and all stakeholders to assist the authorities to find these culprits.

As one of the stakeholders in the education sector, SADTU will soon be rolling out a campaign to mobilise all stakeholders in education to defend and protect schools. Called, “I am a School Fan”, the campaign seeks to reorient the country’s view on education and mobilise every sector of society to be part of the solution by acting against violence directed at schools.

Schools and education have the power to change the trajectory of any society for the better. If schools are looted by criminals and are pawns when communities want to vent their anger towards the state, the futures of learners are plunged further into the abyss of despair. Therefore, criminals cannot be allowed to destroy the culture of learning and teaching.

The leadership of SADTU will, on Friday 18 January 2019, visit the school to give support to the teachers as well as the learners.

Issued by SADTU