Armed robbers struck Phaphani High School in KwaNobuhle on Wednesday, 29 October 2025, terrorising School Governing Body members and the principal during a critical matriculant examination preparation camp, raising urgent questions about school safety protocols across the province.
The brazen daylight attack, which occurred despite the presence of an unarmed security guard, has prompted serious concerns about whether the residential camp programme can continue safely, and what immediate measures the Department of Education will implement to protect vulnerable school communities.
With matriculants’ final examinations already in session, education officials now face mounting pressure to provide concrete answers about security upgrades, psychological support for traumatised learners and staff, and comprehensive safety strategies to prevent similar incidents from derailing critical educational programmes at schools throughout the region.
SAPS KwaNobuhle confirmed that a case of business robbery was opened following the incident at the high school in Mondile Street, KwaNobuhle, on the afternoon of Wednesday, 29 October 2025.
SAPS spokesperson, Captain Sandra Janse van Rensburg, said that according to information gathered on the aforementioned date at about 17:30, “Six unknown males wearing reflector jackets entered the school boardroom during a meeting between teachers and the school governing body. One suspect, armed with a firearm, instructed everyone to lie down.”
She added that the suspects stole nine mobile phones, three laptops, and forced the complainant to make several money transfers. “They also fled with a maroon Haval H2, which was later recovered on Hashe Street that day. The investigation is ongoing,” Janse Van Rensburg concluded.
Following this incident, Uitenhage District Taxi Association spokesperson, Lubabalo Vesele, said, “We as the UDTA promise protection for all 2025 matriculation camp sites within Kariega, whether you are in Despatch, Langa, KwaNobuhle, or Nobuhlo Mdala. As long as you operate a registered study camp for matriculation 2025, we ask all those responsible to register with the sector police or Sergeant Kia Kamba, a sector police officer from KwaNobuhle, so that our patrols can be aware of your location and conduct regular visits.”
He added that this act of protecting local schools or matriculation campsites is provided free of charge by the taxi association.
“Nothing is required from anyone except to appreciate the position that the taxi industry, especially the leadership, has taken over this project of protecting the community and the learners in our local schools.”
He added, “We are working hand-in-hand with the police, and the metro police have promised to join us so that we can form a formidable force.”
Vesele said that the UDTA is not aware of who the perpetrators of the incident at Phaphani High School could be. “We do not have any information and are relying on police detectives to conduct a proper investigation.”
He concluded, “Our message to the Kariega community is that we, as the UDTA, put people first. We are willing to share our resources in order to combat crime and assist people in fighting criminality in our area.”
The Eastern Cape Department of Education was approached for comment but did not respond at the time of going to print.
