Eldorado Park residents call for armed school guards

Members of the Eldorado Park SGB Forum have threatened to shut down all schools in the community unless Gauteng Education MEC, Matome Chiloane, meets with residents.

They’ve given the MEC until Friday to respond to their demands.

The forum was established earlier this week by teachers, parents, and residents in response to escalating school violence across the community.

In one of the latest incidents, two armed suspects entered a high school and allegedly opened fire on two pupils.

In another, two grade 8 pupils have been arrested over suspected arson after allegedly starting a blaze that gutted three classrooms at Lancea Vale Secondary School.

Lanceavale Secondary in Eldorado park. pic.twitter.com/P9tOtJnbyg

— Unique Dee Baloyi (@Dakalo_Baloyii) August 20, 2024

The incidents have triggered safety concerns among residents, with the Education MEC warning that violence would not be tolerated at schools.

However, Spokesperson for the Eldorado Park SGB Forum, Charis Pretorius, says residents’ cries have fallen on deaf ears.

“It’s a case of where the department treats us as if we’re crying wolf and our issues are not being taken as seriously as we portray them to be,” she told YNews.

Steve Mabona should be more focused on the two stabbings , one shooting and school that burnt down this week in eldorado Park this week than spurious investigations into racism at well run and traditional schools. It’s mind boggling how desperate they have become !

— Harry (@IngledewNorman) August 24, 2024

What about the learners in Eldorado park gauteng where learner’s have gangs entering schools and shooting are you not aware of this situation.

— Aziz Minty (@AzizMinty89240) August 29, 2024

She says parents are worried that effective teaching and learning can’t take place as educators fear for their lives. 

Pretorius says teachers can’t confront misbehaving pupils because they receive threats of violence from some parents.

“How do you have effective teaching when you are afraid of learners in your class? You are afraid that if you say something to them, they’re going to complain to their parents who will come to the school and confront you. It’s unacceptable,” she said.

Pretorius has called for overcrowding and a lack of adequate security to be first on the list of priorities in addressing violence at Eldorado Park schools.

She’s alleged that two security personnel are often deployed to schools, where there are more than 1 000 learners.

The Spokesperson for the Eldorado Park SGB Forum believes that’s not enough to curb crime and gang-related violence in schools.

Pretorius has called for armed security personnel to be deployed to certain schools where learners are heavily armed, adding that unarmed personnel are useless in a gunfight.