Escalating crime levels in Mthatha have raised serious concerns among government and community stakeholders, prompting the justice, crime prevention and security cluster (JCPS) to intensify its intervention and adopt one of the troubled schools in Mthatha.
When members of the cluster visited the AV Plaatjie Senior Secondary School at Payne Farm village, they were shocked to hear that the school had been hit by a spate of robberies and break-ins.
In one incident, the thieves used a vehicle to ram the principal’s office and strongroom and made off with the safe.
The JCPS comprises, among others, members of the police, home affairs, justice and correctional services, and defence and military veterans’ departments.
They work together to streamline resources to achieve the cluster’s objectives of reducing crime, improving the efficiency of the criminal justice system, dealing with corruption, managing SA’s borders, improving the population registration system, and prioritising the fight against and prevention of cyber-crimes.
On Friday, during a visit to the school, a JCPS delegation committed to assisting the school in a number of areas, including pupil safety, amid concerns over escalating crime and the school’s close proximity to liquor outlets.
Correctional services national commissioner Makgothi Thobakgale and senior officials from both national and the province, were joined by acting provincial police commissioner Thandiswa Kupiso and her senior managers.
Civilian secretariat for police services director-general Thulani Sibuyi was also among those who visited the school as part of the government’s back-to-school programme.
This follows a previous visit by the JCPS to the school in September 2024.
That was amid challenges such as vandalism, alcohol and substance abuse, the proliferation of taverns near the school and threats to pupil safety.
It highlighted the need for a co-ordinated approach to restore safety and support effective teaching and learning.
Thobakgale reaffirmed commitment to crime prevention, saying crime could be defeated when working closely with communities.
When there is safety, there is development. We want to see communities working together so that this locality continues to grow.
— Makgothi Thobakgale, correctional services national commissioner
“We are here to support this school to improve matric results and overall learners’ performance, but more importantly to ensure that learners receive their education in an environment that is safe and conducive,” Thobakgale said.
He said the cluster’s involvement went beyond policing, focusing on stability, peace and community ownership.
“When there is safety, there is development. We want to see communities working together so that this locality continues to grow,” he said.
Sibuyi said the findings of the 2024 visit, which was led by him, prompted the cluster to develop a co-ordinated and long-term intervention plan focused on safety, discipline and crime prevention.
“We agreed that we must come up with a comprehensive intervention that includes a safety plan to deal with liquor outlets, the protection of the school, substance and drug abuse in this area, and most importantly discipline to ensure effective teaching and learning at this school,” he said.
Sibuyi said President Cyril Ramaphosa and his cabinet had approved the integrated crime and violence prevention strategy, which promoted co-operation between the government and communities.
“Violent crime in our country is a serious problem and it can only be dealt with effectively through an integrated approach,” he said.
School principal Xolisa Maqude said the cluster had a big impact on the 2025 matric results as it had brought pupils who had shifted their focus from school books to drugs back in line.
“We had [a big problem] of pupils getting into fights, bunking school, using drugs, vandalising the school and dropping their marks, but ever since we got the visit from the cluster last year, things took a positive turn.
“They motivated learners by giving out bursaries, brand-new school uniforms to best performers, and renovating the classrooms that were vandalised,” he said.
Grade 12 pupil Khethelo Tutu said he was happy with the intervention as things had changed for the better.
“On our way home after school we would be attacked by criminals who took our money and sometimes beat us up, but none of that is happening now,” he said.
School founder Alven Vuyisa Plaatjie welcomed the support.
“Let AV Plaatjie secondary continue to be a safe place for teaching and learning, to better the future of our country,” he said.
Kupiso and Liquor Board representatives warned that any liquor outlets contravening their licences by, among other things, selling liquor to schoolchildren, would be dealt with harshly.
Liquor outlets are not allowed to operate within 500m of a school.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.