PATROLLERS say a few schools were vandalised in Ekurhuleni during the December holidays.
This is as they continue to keep watching the schools to ensure thugs stay away to ensure pupils return to intact schools when they start the first term on 17 January.
Daily Sun visited several areas in Ekurhuleni to check if there were no vandalised schools, but the SunTeam was greeted by patrollers sitting in guard rooms.
Communities said they heeded the Gauteng Department of Education's MEC Matome Chiloane call, urging them to guard their schools last year.
"The community and school patrollers have been keeping an eye on their schools since the start of the December 2023 school holidays," said resident Paul Jiyane.
"Previously pupils used to return to vandalised schools, with some burnt in most parts of Gauteng. But this year things look different."
Commander of Patrollers in Ekurhuleni Jomo Msimang said only a few schools were vandalised, but the number is still to be confirmed.
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"The majority are still intact. In Etwatwa I know two and in Daveyton is one that was vandalised. We are happy that many children will return to their schools still in good condition," said Jomo.
"We are working hard, and patrollers ensure visibility to scare off vandals and thieves. Many schools are guarded, and it's only those few, and we believe in the future thugs will never get a chance to steal or vandalise the affected schools.”
"We appeal to the community to work with us patrollers to protect our schools," he said.
In the past, school vandalism was rife in Gauteng.
During the 2020 lockdown, about 400 schools suffered vandalism, arson, and looting in Gauteng.
Between 2021 and 2022, 120 schools were vandalised in Gauteng, with 24 of them affected during the 2022 December holidays.
Gauteng education department said it was pleased to see communities standing up to guard the future of their children.
