Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za
3-minute read
26 June 2025 | 16:45 CAT

📸 Caption: 28 murders near schools spark national protocol launch to curb deadly violence.

The Department of Basic Education has declared school violence a national crisis following the murder of 28 individuals on or near school premises in the 2023/2024 financial year. In a decisive response, Basic Education Minister Gwarube Mchunu and Police Minister Edward Senzo Mchunu jointly launched the Safer School Protocol in Cape Town, vowing to restore safety and accountability.

“Schools are becoming crime scenes,” said Elijah Mahlangu, spokesperson for Minister Gwarube Mchunu, underlining the urgency of the matter. “Every situation, every school, needs to have a caring community, one that commits to protecting its learners and teachers with every resource it has.”

KwaZulu-Natal tops the list of provinces most affected by school-related murders, but Mahlangu stressed that “the crime is everywhere really.” Citing incidents from Eldorado Park, Westbury, and as far afield as the North West, he noted, “You cannot say that’s not a crisis. One murder is one too many.”

The Safer School Protocol focuses on enhancing police visibility, implementing random school searches, and engaging directly with learners. “We want law enforcement agencies to help us search our learners,” Mahlangu explained. “Some of them are carrying weapons. Others have drugs. These things do not belong in a school.”

He called for broader societal involvement: “We need an all-government and all-stakeholder approach. This isn’t a job for the police alone. Parents must also mobilise and play an active role in educating their children.”

The protocol includes coordinated crime prevention campaigns and school visits by police officers to highlight the consequences of violence. Mahlangu added that school bullying, often captured in viral videos is part of the larger issue. “There have been stabbings. Others have been shot dead. Whether it’s an attack or self-defence, the violence is completely unnecessary.”

He emphasised that ultimate responsibility begins at home. “Even if a parent doesn’t know what their child is doing, there’s nobody else who must account for the behaviour of your child other than you, the parent.”

As government rolls out this national strategy, it is calling on communities to unite against the deepening crisis of violence in South African schools before more lives are lost.

Listen to the full interview on Your World Today with Mufti Yusuf Moosagie and Elijah Mahlangu.