THE Sedibeng Intermediate School in Tsheseng Village in the Free State has been struggling following a massive robbery in September 2023.
Criminals robbed the school and stole all the administration equipment, including computers, monitors, electricity meter boxes, as well as pupils' significant stationery.
The school has been struggling for several weeks with running its daily operations smoothly. Teachers were forced to visit nearby schools to do their administrative work.
Provincial Department of Education spokesman Howard Ndaba said the school has lost essential information in those stolen computers and monitors.
Ndaba slammed school robberies and welcomed the police's swift arrest of the five perpetrators and recovered the stolen equipment.
"This must be classified as sabotage to the country's project of educating future leaders. The school is located in deep rural area. The villagers should take a lead to protect their schools.
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"This is the future of their children. The school has been struggling with daily operations, hard to implement some of the significant measure without computers. And it's very unfortunate because some of the computers broken. We believe that perpetrators were seeking a powdery substance inside," said Ndaba.
Police spokesman Warrant Officer Mmako Mophiring said cops worked together with residents to apprehend the suspects.
Mophiring confirmed that police had recovered and seized, among others, electricity meter boxes, a toy gun, essential stationary as well a weapons that are suspected to have been used during the robbery.
"We're grateful that perpetrators were brought to justice. We applaud our members for their exceptional job. We've arrested and charged five accused on Wednesday, 4 October. Stolen school property worth R60 000 was seized, and it would used as evidence in court," he said.
The five accused, Pabala Moletsane (18) Sibusiso Lephoto(19), Tshwarelo Nthako (19), Sambuti Thibakgoana (22) and Mosa Mofokeng (21) briefly appeared in the Tsheseng Magistrates Court on Thursday, 5 October facing the charges of robbery and theft.
The case has been postponed to Thursday, 26 October for formal bail application.
