Chaos erupts at Durban school after cops conduct random search for drugs and weapons

The Department of Education (DoE) in KwaZulu-Natal has condemned the behaviour of learners at a Phoenix high school who vandalised a classroom and security hut following a surprise search by local police.

Chaos erupted at the Effingham Secondary School in Phoenix after police were called in to conduct a random search for drugs and weapons on Wednesday.

Several learners were arrested after they set fire to a classroom and security guard hut.

Speaking to IOL, spokesperson for the KZN DoE Muzi Mahlambi, commended the school principal for her proactive stand to work with police to remove drugs from the school.

"At some stage she was accused of locking the toilets and only opening them during lunch breaks. This is not true. She had a security guard stationed at the toilets because learners used to leave class to smoke in the toilets,“ he said.

Mahlambi added that the process to work with police was undertaken by the department months ago.

"We commend the police for arresting the learners that set the school alight. We will not tolerate anarchy in our schools,“ Mahlambi said.

Speaking following an oversight visit to the school, Democratic Alliance spokesperson on Education, Sakhile Mngadi, said the school is facing a drug problem with some learners allegedly selling drugs at school.

"It is unthinkable that in a province that has schools in need of basics such as toilets and textbooks, there are learners who would purposefully destroy facilities due to drugs," Mngadi said.

He added that community issues of violence and crime spill over into school.

"A whole-of-society approach involving SAPS, community leaders, learners, religious leaders and importantly the parents - among others - must be implemented to turn matters around," he said.

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