The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) Gauteng welcomes the joint search and seizure operation conducted by the Gauteng Department of Education and the South African Police Service (SAPS) at schools in Carletonville. This intervention is an important step towards protecting learners, educators and support staff from the growing threats of gangsterism, drug abuse, violence and other criminal activities that continue to affect our schools.
Schools must remain safe places where teaching and learning can take place without fear. No learner should have to worry about violence, intimidation or being exposed to drugs while pursuing an education. Likewise, educators and education workers deserve to work in an environment that is safe and conducive to learning.
COSATU supports lawful search and seizure operations aimed at removing dangerous weapons, illegal drugs and other prohibited items from school premises. These operations send a clear message that criminal elements will not be allowed to turn schools into recruitment grounds for gangs or centres of drug trafficking.
However, law enforcement alone will not solve the problem. Violence and substance abuse among young people are symptoms of broader social and economic challenges, including poverty, unemployment, family instability and the easy availability of drugs in many communities. Government, parents, communities, religious organisations and civil society must work together to address these root causes.
The Federation calls on the Gauteng Department of Education to strengthen school safety programmes through increased security where necessary, improved fencing and access control, regular awareness campaigns on substance abuse and violence, and greater access to social workers, psychologists and counsellors to support vulnerable learners.
COSATU also urges SAPS to intensify operations against drug dealers and criminal syndicates operating near schools. Those who prey on children by selling drugs or recruiting them into gangs must face the full might of the law. Police visibility around schools, particularly during opening and closing times, should become a permanent feature in high-risk communities.
Parents and communities also have an important responsibility. They must remain actively involved in the lives of their children, support schools in promoting discipline, and report criminal activities that threaten the safety of learners and education workers.
Education remains one of the most powerful tools to break the cycle of poverty and inequality. Every learner has the constitutional right to learn in a safe, secure and supportive environment. COSATU will continue to support initiatives that protect schools while advocating for long-term investments in education, youth development and safer communities.
Issued by COSATU Gauteng
Provincial Chairperson: Cde Amos Monyela: 079 493 5002
Provincial Secretary: Cde Louisah Modikwe: 082 297 2659