Drugs, crime and failing infrastructure are some of the issues that have been raised by parents and community members following the conclusion of the Gauteng Department of Education’s safety Imbizo, which was held by provincial MEC for education, Matome Chiloane in Sedibeng on Saturday.

Chiloane committed himself to addressing some of these critical issues adding that his department has also pledged to increase police visibility in some of the crime ridden schools in the province.

This is as parents and concerned community members revealed that more and more schools in the area are facing increased incidents of bullying, gangsterism and drug abuse among young people.

On the issue of crime, one parent decried the high levels of crime and drug abuse among young people saying: “My concern is the issue of safety at schools. There is a big drug problem that we see in some of the schools in Vanderbijlpark. People sell drugs to children. Some children stand in shop corners, where they smoke drugs, before going to school .

Chiloane said from the start of these community engagements across the province, his team has sought to work with local law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders to resolve critical challenges.

“Today, I can confirm that police visibility will be increased around schools identified as most vulnerable. But safety is not just the work of the police. It begins at home. Parents, your role in discipline, in guiding your children, in ensuring they do their homework and respect their teachers, is critical. A safe school is built on strong families,” he said.

Chiloane further called on the community and parents to play their part in guarding against vandalism of school infrastructure.

“Our schools belong to us all. Their walls, their fields, their classrooms must be protected. Vandalism, theft, and destruction rob our children of opportunities. Let’s stand guard, not just with words, but with action...Safety is a collective responsibility. When we work together, we do not just secure our schools—we secure the future,” he added.

On the issue of power cuts in schools, following a report by ActionSA that Julius Sebolai Primary School in Bramfischerville, Soweto, a no-fee-paying school was spending R8,000 on fuel for electricity every two days to keep the lights on, Chiloane urged municipalities to refrain from cutting power supply at schools.

This comes after IOL reported that in 2024, schools owed municipalities over R262 million for services rendered after Premier Panyaza Lesufi had urged municipalities to cut services to schools that were in debt.

To mitigate against this crisis, Chiloane said his department has been engaging municipalities to stop cutting electricity supply at schools.

“We urge mayors, city councils and other leaders of municipalities to stop cutting our electricity. We will pay them. We have made arrangements before with all Mayors and the councils and the city municipal managers. We have had that engagement,” he said.

siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za

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Gauteng Education MEC pledges to address school safety issues