After realising that several schools in the Gauteng Province are being disturbed by the high rate of crime and topical psychosocial issues, the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) working jointly with Matthew Goniwe School of Leadership and Governance (MGSLG) initiated the School Safety Imbizo campaign. The School Safety Imbizo is an initiative that is meant to address alarming and pressing safety concerns in schools that are identified as high-risk within the corridors of the Gauteng Province.
This campaign got initiated on the 3rd of November 2024 with the aims to foster collaboration among education stakeholders, law enforcement agencies, and community members to combat issues such as gangsterism, bullying, substance abuse and violence that are affecting schools.
In November 2024, 245 schools in Gauteng have been identified as high-risk, with 75 schools classified as extremely high-risk. These classifications are considered not only incidents within the schools but also the prevailing conditions in the surrounding communities. For example, schools that are in areas where there is too much high rate of crime and gangsterism are considered at higher risk.
The School Safety Imbizo meetings are used as platforms for open dialogue, where parents, educators, law enforcement agencies, and community members can share experiences and propose solutions.
In ensuring that all corridors of the Gauteng are partaking in this initiative, several Imbizos have been held to engage with relevant stakeholders in areas where schools that are at high risk are situated. The first Imbizo was held on the 2nd of November 2024, in Kliptown, Johannesburg South; the second leg held on the 24th of November 2024, at Faranani Community Hall in Tsakane, Ekurhuleni; the third leg held on the 15th of February 2025 at Eersterust in Pretoria; the fourth leg held on the 22nd of February 2025 in Hoer Tegniese D Skool N Diederichs, in Krugersdorp, West Rand and the last leg was held on the 01st of March 2025 at Ratanda Community Hall in Sedibeng East.
Addressing the audience during the School Safety Imbizo, the MEC for Education, Sport, Arts, Culture and recreation, Hon. Matome Chiloane ‘’ The community is critical in these Imbizo’s engagements. We are calling on the community to come and work with us in protecting our schools. The community knows the criminals that are braking into our schools. Please work with us, when you see your neighbour seating on a chair that belongs to the school report it.
We can’t be lobbying parents to actively take part in their children’s life. It’s what you should do, you are expected to be active in your child’s life. You parents are a very important component in school safety, when your child becomes a problem work with us, come forward so that we talk and see how best we can assist the child’’.
The MEC also highlighted the issues of the public schooler transports and SGBs that are problematic, mentioning that he has an agreement with the MEC for Transport, that transports that are not roadworthy must be removed on the road, and the buses that are transporting kids shouldn’t be alder that 15 years. And schooler transport shouldn’t be allowed to play music louder, because that makes kids to not focus on the class.
MEC also mentioned that the chairpersons of the SGBs needs to understand that they are not the principals, they must stop roaming around the schools as if they are principals. Everybody within the SGB should know their roles and responsibilities including the principal. He further mentioned that the Self Build Programme which is meant to build more classrooms in schools is the one that makes SGBs and Principals to fight over money and this is one of the challenges that they are busy dealing with.
Through these engagements, the Gauteng Department of Education seeks to develop comprehensive strategies tailored to the unique challenges faced by each high-risk school, ensuring that interventions are both effective and sustainable.