Pretoria – Officers from the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) social crime prevention unit have conducted a school search at the Hoerskool John Voster in Nigel in an ongoing drive to conscientise learners about school and road safety.
Lieutenant-Colonel Kelebogile Thepa, spokesperson for the EMPD, said “nothing sinister” was uncovered during the search.
“With the reopening of schools for the second term, the EMPD social crime unit continued where they left off last term, with an ongoing rollout of school searches, across the City of Ekurhuleni. This intervention is aimed at creating a safer environment in schools, for teaching and learning to take place peacefully,” said Thepa.
“This also looks into educating learners on the dangers of substance abuse and bullying.”
At Sakhelwe Primary School, members of the EMPD also engaged pupils on road safety tips, in conjunction with other stakeholders.
Thepa said the campaign aims to promote road safety and to reduce the number of pedestrian/motor vehicle accidents.
“The EMPD applauds the partnership with other stakeholders, to prevent and curb the number of pedestrian motor vehicle accidents and to make children knowledgeable on how to cross the roadway safely,” she said.
Last year, Mpumalanga MEC of Community Safety, Security and Liaison, Vusi Shongwe lauded police officers in the province after several items including dangerous weapons were seized from learners during a search and seizure operation.
The anti-crime operations were conducted at three high schools in Barberton, in August.
Some of the seized items include several boxes of matches stashed with compressed dagga, knives and cigarettes.
“It is deeply disappointing that despite all the programmes and awareness campaigns that the department with stakeholders, conduct in schools, we still find these levels of delinquency in some of our schools,” Shongwe said at the time.
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