By BAKANG MOKOTO
A 42-year-old man appeared at Moretele Magistrate’s Court on Friday for allegedly stealing steel palisades belonging to a primary school in Motlhabaneng Section in Makapanstad.
North West police spokesperson, Col Adele Myburgh said Seth Maroke was apprehended on Thursday after police conducted an intensive investigation. Myburgh said the police recovered suspected stolen property during the arrest.
“The North West Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena lauded the detective for ensuring that the perpetrator is brought to book. Kwena also urged members of the community to report suspicious activities at schools by contacting their nearest police stations or calling Crime Stop on 08600 10111,” she said.
Maroke who was released on bail will be back in court on 15 September 2020. Meanwhile, the North West MEC for Education, Wendy Matsemela said more than 50 schools across the province were vandalized during the recess.
Matsemela said: “We were shocked by the increasing number of the vandalized schools in the province. Last week, the province reported 7 schools that were vandalized but currently, the number has exponentially increased to 55.
“Every day during this lockdown the department continues to receive reports of burglary from different schools. In all four districts, numbers of vandalized schools have increased drastically.”
Matsemela recently visited Bonwakgogo Primary in Chaneng Village near Phokeng to view the extent of damages from the school. She said criminals should not be allowed to damage and destroys the future of the learners.
“This is totally unacceptable, I personally went to Bonwakgogo Primary school to see the extent of the damages and I became so emotional to witness the destruction that happened there. This poses a serious drawback to the department,” said Matsemela.
She said learners will not be having their resources due to criminality when they resume their studies. Matsemela said these schools belong to the communities and urged them to work together with the police to apprehend the suspects.
The Guardian 