Gauteng’s MEC for Education, Panyaza Lesufi, has called on police to find those responsible for an armed robbery at the AB Phokompe High School in Randfontein on Friday.
“It is alleged that two armed men arrived at the school on Friday afternoon after gaining entry onto the premises through false pretenses. They claimed to have had a scheduled appointment with the principal. The men held several educators, as well as the principal, hostage,” said education officials in a statement.
“Subsequently, the alleged robbers proceeded to take the personal belongings of the educators and the principal, including items such as cellphones, jewellery, money and five laptops.”
The officials say the men allegedly wanted to gain access to the school’s strong room. They were “explicitly looking for an employee in charge of the strong room keys”.
“The men fled the scene in a getaway car without gaining access to the strong room. All employees who were held hostage also walked away unharmed and will receive counselling from our Psycho-social Unit on Monday, 16 August 2021.”
Police are currently investigating circumstances surrounding this case.
“We condemn this cowardly act of targeting our schools by criminal elements in our communities and call on the Randfontein community to assist the police in bringing those responsible to book. We call upon law enforcement to apprehend these suspects and bring them to justice,” MEC Lesufi said.
