The number of burglary and vandalism incidents at schools in the Western Cape over the 2025/26 summer holiday has dropped significantly compared to the previous year.
A total of 36 incidents were reported at 32 schools during the recent holiday period. This is down from 47 incidents at 34 schools during the 2024/25 summer holidays.
Western Cape Education Minister David Maynier said the decrease points to more effective security measures and improved monitoring of school properties.
“We subsidised holiday security at 441 schools during the holidays to protect school properties and have worked closely with the South African Police Service and law enforcement to increase vigilance around our schools,” Maynier said.
Despite the improvement, he stressed that the province remains concerned about the ongoing damage to education infrastructure.
“Nevertheless, this is still 36 incidents too many,” he said.
Items stolen or damaged during the holidays included fencing, electrical cables, plumbing fixtures, kitchen equipment and food intended for learners. In one particularly serious case, more than 100 windows at a school were deliberately damaged.
Maynier described the destruction as “an act of senseless criminality”, adding that every damaged or stolen item must be replaced — diverting funds away from the core task of educating learners.
“Every single item that is damaged or stolen must be replaced, which diverts funding from the core task of educating our learners so that they can get a job or study further when they leave school,” he said.
“Stealing from a school is stealing from a child’s future.”
The department has urged communities to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity around schools to police or the Safe Schools hotline on 0800 45 46 47.
“If you have any information about the incidents that occurred over the school holidays, please speak up. You may hold the key piece of information that will allow SAPS to arrest the perpetrators and recover our schools’ stolen property,” Maynier said.
A total of 36 incidents were reported at 32 schools during the recent holiday period. This is down from 47 incidents at 34 schools during the 2024/25 summer holidays.
Western Cape Education Minister David Maynier said the decrease points to more effective security measures and improved monitoring of school properties.
“We subsidised holiday security at 441 schools during the holidays to protect school properties and have worked closely with the South African Police Service and law enforcement to increase vigilance around our schools,” Maynier said.
Despite the improvement, he stressed that the province remains concerned about the ongoing damage to education infrastructure.
“Nevertheless, this is still 36 incidents too many,” he said.
Items stolen or damaged during the holidays included fencing, electrical cables, plumbing fixtures, kitchen equipment and food intended for learners. In one particularly serious case, more than 100 windows at a school were deliberately damaged.
Maynier described the destruction as “an act of senseless criminality”, adding that every damaged or stolen item must be replaced — diverting funds away from the core task of educating learners.
“Every single item that is damaged or stolen must be replaced, which diverts funding from the core task of educating our learners so that they can get a job or study further when they leave school,” he said.
“Stealing from a school is stealing from a child’s future.”
The department has urged communities to remain vigilant and report suspicious activity around schools to police or the Safe Schools hotline on 0800 45 46 47.
“If you have any information about the incidents that occurred over the school holidays, please speak up. You may hold the key piece of information that will allow SAPS to arrest the perpetrators and recover our schools’ stolen property,” Maynier said.