By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu and Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube on Tuesday signed the “Safe Schools Protocol” to curb rampant crime and violence in schools.
The two ministers launched the Safer Schools Protocol in Cape Town on Tuesday, 24 June, following alarming statistics revealing that 28 learners were murdered during the 2023/2024 financial year — nearly half of those killings occurred in KwaZulu-Natal.
The protocol is set to emphasise shared responsibility, integrating stakeholders such as civil society organisations, parents, school governing bodies, and learners into the safety ecosystem.
Gwarube said the updated protocol marks a shift toward evidence-based, collaborative safety interventions involving educators, law enforcement, parents, and communities.
“The Safer Schools Protocol is just the beginning of our partnership. It has now been modernised. We are also implementing school-based crime prevention programmes, and there will be legal provision for police to conduct search and seizures in schools, “said Gwarube.
Mchunu emphasised that the protocol must produce a real, measurable impact in classrooms across the country.He called on communities to take an active role in safeguarding schools, particularly in high-risk provinces such as Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape, and the Western Cape.
“In the recently released crime statistics, six murders and 80 rapes were recorded as having occurred on school premises,” Mchunu revealed.
“We must ensure our police stations are well-resourced to respond adequately to school-related crimes. Our policing must be proactive, responsive, and effective. I want to assure South Africans that we are rebuilding our police service with this focus in mind.”
In closing, both ministers acknowledged that violence in schools reflects broader societal breakdowns: poverty, inequality, and unemployment.
Gwarube called on pupils, teachers and police officers to become agents of change.
“We know the burden [teachers] carry, being extorted in Nelson Mandela Bay, crossing gang-ridden streets in Mannenburg and Gugulethu. We stand with you.”
“Our children will look to you (police officers) not only for protection, but for inspiration. Go out there and protect our schools,” she concluded.