The removal of security guards from high-risk schools in Gauteng last week has left parents and community members worried about learners' safety.
Gauteng education department has been providing security at 32 of the 200 most-violent schools in the province but abruptly pulled out the guards from the schools a few days ago.
Sowetan reported on Friday that many security guards employed by Urban Watch Patrol, which has a contract to provide security at violent schools, said they had not been receiving their salaries since October 2024.
Schools are identified as high risk due to violence, gangsterism, and drug abuse that threaten the safety of pupils and teachers. Some are identified as such due to structural defects caused by illegal mining activities, making them unsafe for occupation.
While some learners' parents feared there would be no replacement, they were reassured that interim “intervention guards” were still stationed at the schools to watch over learners.
A parent from Coronationville on the West Rand, Tyrone Jacobs, said he had thought the guards had left due to non-payment.
“I thought they quit because they were not getting paid, and that’s why they eventually stopped because they had been complaining, and I usually strike up conversations with them. I was concerned because it can get really violent.
“Fights often start out of nowhere, and the next thing you’re hearing from your child after school is that someone got into a fist fight ... and how they even beat the security guard who tried to stop the violence.
"If there hadn’t been additional security guards at the school, it would have been a mess. In the small briefing we got (from the school), they told us there would be other guards coming in from another contract, and I hope it’s soon,” Jacobs.
If there hadn’t been additional security guards at the school, it would have been a mess. In the small briefing we got (from the school), they told us there would be other guards coming in from another contract, and I hope it’s soon
— Tyrone Jacobs- Parent
The notice, issued on Wednesday, informed all security companies hired to guard high-risk schools that their contracts have been terminated as of August 7.
The letter, signed by Zondi Nkuna, director of security management services, did not give reasons for the termination but instructed that no service provider will be allowed to deploy guards at schools without a purchase order number.
Education department spokesperson Steve Mabona said "since the deployment was temporary, there was a need to review the deployment strategies, accordingly".
A school in Germiston, Ekurhuleni, which was prioritised by the department as high-risk faces problems of multiple knife fights and substance abuse.
Pupils at Sizwe Secondary School said the violence has become the norm but that the guards had not made any difference as they would also be beaten by the violent pupils.
"Yes, there are guards, but like [only] two, and it's not really enough because they sometimes also get beaten up when they try to come in between fights. There's not enough of them, so it doesn't make a difference," said a grade 9 pupil.
Community member Kenny Makenzo said he often caught learners jumping over the school fence.
They are always jumping over into the car wash right where I work, and I would take videos of them to go show to the principal. But then nothing happens, and then I would see the same boys jumping again.
— Community member Kenny Makenzo
“They are always jumping over into the car wash right where I work, and I would take videos of them to go show to the principal. But then nothing happens, and then I would see the same boys jumping again. They’re also always smoking nyaope and other nonsense, but I have never seen the security do anything,” Makenzo said.
Meanwhile, pupils said the deployment of security guards, cameras and a fence had made a huge difference at the conflict-ridden Klipspruit-West Secondary School in Soweto.
“There used to be fights like every second day, people coming in with fake guns and threatening to kill you and knives as well. It was very scary but now it’s not like that anymore; they even search us when we come in, so it’s safer than last year,” said the grade 10 pupil.
For resident Renee Jordaan, the security guards made a huge difference.
“You can see that there’s a very strict management working now and we are all happy for it, so the guards are adding more weight and it is really helping,” said Jordaan.
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