MEC Lebogang Maile Condemns Violent Attacks on Gauteng Schools Following Alexandra and Waverley Incidents
BY: CHANON LECODEY MERRICKS | ONLINE EDITOR
MEC Lebogang Maile Condemns Violent Attacks on Gauteng Schools Following Alexandra and Waverley Incidents
Byline: Education & Crime Desk
Location: Johannesburg, Gauteng
Gauteng MEC for Education, Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation, Lebogang Maile, has issued a sharp condemnation following two violent criminal incidents at public schools in Johannesburg, calling them a direct attack on learners' constitutional right to basic education.
The incidents—occurring at Iphutheng Primary School in Alexandra and Waverley Girls’ High School—left multiple learners traumatized and one hospitalized, prompting the deployment of emergency psychosocial support teams.
Armed Robbery and Hijacking Cause Panic
The first attack occurred on school grounds at Iphutheng Primary School in Alexandra, where armed suspects entered the premises during a robbery. Suspects fired several warning shots, causing panic among educators and young learners who fled for safety.
One learner was subsequently transported to the hospital; the department noted that the precise circumstances surrounding the hospitalization remain under investigation by the South African Police Service (SAPS).
In a separate incident on the same day, an armed hijacking unfolded directly outside the gates of Waverley Girls’ High School. Suspects fired shots into the air before fleeing.
Reports indicate that several learners were caught outside the school gates as the incident occurred. The Department of Education confirmed it is engaging school management to verify the facts and ensure all standard emergency safety protocols were observed.
"Schools are sacred spaces dedicated to teaching and learning and must never become theatres of violence, fear or intimidation. Criminals who threaten the safety of our children, educators and school communities have no place in our society and must face the full might of the law," said MEC Maile.
Emergency Intervention and Psychological Support
Following the incidents, MEC Maile directed departmental officials, district offices, and law enforcement to coordinate closely to minimize disruption to the academic calendar.
The department dispatched specialized psychosocial support personnel and trauma counselors to both schools to assist affected learners, staff, and educators.
Call for Community Partnership
Highlighting the province's ongoing safety interventions—which target gangsterism, dangerous weapons, and substance abuse around schools—MEC Maile emphasized that law enforcement alone cannot secure school perimeters without active public participation.
Invoking the province's "It Takes a Village to Raise a Child" campaign, Maile appealed to parents, Community Policing Forums (CPFs), Gauteng Traffic Wardens, and local neighborhood watches to assist SAPS by reporting intelligence on local gangs and criminal activity surrounding school grounds.
Police investigations into both incidents remain ongoing.
