Several classrooms have been left without electricity, and water has seeped through the walls of adjacent classes after pipes were cut and cables stolen during recent acts of vandalism at a Nelson Mandela Bay school.
To add to the challenges that C.W Hendrickse Primary School in Kariega currently faces, the separate incidents took place only two days apart, with principal, Abdul Reciet, discovering a newly vandalised structure at school every day for days after the last incident.
For Reciet, who was a teacher at this school for more than 30 years before he became principal four years ago, it is hard to believe that institutions that are supposed to be respected, revered and above all, treasured, are being destroyed like this.
“Our school has been victim to such disgusting acts. Our copper water pipes were stolen by these thieves, electric wires ripped out and wall [sockets] stolen.
“During a second incident, a substation box was destroyed and electric wires stolen,” Reciet said.
“We have the people from our nutrition programme coming in and they need water because they work with food. The children also need to use the toilets.”
He added that all the wires running above the ceilings of their double-storey building had been cut and removed and also the copper water pipes in classrooms had been broken off. As a result, all the classrooms in that block were left without electricity and two were flooded with water.
On their way out, the thieves also grabbed a teacher’s kettle and cut the wires of an old overhead projector and heater, but left the actual machines behind.
Walking across the school grounds, Reciet opened up a small substation box where all the wires had been ripped out.
“The first priority now is to install cages over these boxes to protect them, then we can restore the electricity.”
He explained that he had rolled up his sleeves and got to work himself to help restore water to the most-used classrooms by bypassing certain pipes and making shorter connections.
The school had started using plastic pipes, but these were also stolen. After that they invested in polycop pipes, which were also stolen.
He entered a classroom and after being greeted politely by the learners, Reciet pointed to a gaping hole in the ceiling.
“This is how they gained entry and from here you have access to all sides of the school.”
According to Reciet, he was informed that the vandals knew what they were doing judging by the way the cables were cut and the power switched off first to avoid electrocution.
“At this time we are busy with exams, and at the weekend I had no way of photocopying the question papers but a member of the community, who is also a police officer, offered to do them for me and she did. I must say that there are some members of the community that have come to our aid.”
He added that the Department of Education provides the school with a maintenance budget but right now this is a huge financial blow as they don’t have the funds to repair or replace everything that was vandalised.
Providing an estimate, he said that the damage amounts to approximately R40 000. The maintenance budget that they received for the year was just under R30 000.
“I just want to appeal to the community to take ownership of our schools. These institutions are going to educate your child, and to secure the future of your children, take care of our schools.”
C.W Hendrickse is not the only school struggling with vandalism as many other schools in Nelson Mandela Bay are facing the same evil.
Staff member at Arcadia Senior Secondary School, Greg Coltman, said that their latest burglary took place only a few days ago.
“Since we don’t have a brick building, massive destruction takes place when the school is vandalised. The window clips have been stolen and (so have) our power cables. We have also had enormous damage where printers, computers, projectors, microwaves and cameras were stolen. Our doors and windows have also been damaged in the process.
“Over the past two years, the damage inflicted to our school cost us approximately R50 000,” he said.
He added that the school’s alumni are currently helping with upgrades to certain parts of the school.
Another school suffering from vandalism is Greenville Primary School in Bethelsdorp.
Netwerk24 previously reported that the Human Rights Commission had visited the school to inspect the damage.
According to the article, the school had no working toilets or water and at one point, a broken window nearly fell on a teacher’s head and there was urine on the floor of her classroom.
Eastern Cape Department of Education spokesperson, Mali Mtima, was approached for comment but had not yet responded at the time of going to print on Monday.
