The South African Democratic Teachers' Union (SADTU) in KwaZulu-Natal has learned in the early hours of Monday, 29 July 2024 about the brutal and inhumane shooting and subsequent killing of her member, a Grade R educator of Phikiswayo Primary School at Lindelani, Ntuzuma, northern part of Durban under Pinetown District.
It is alleged that two gunmen stormed the school and entered her classroom where she was teaching. These thugs fired shots at her in full view of children and the educator succumbed to her gunshot wounds instantly; leaving small children traumatized and helpless. SADTU hereby condemns this act of thuggery and barbarism and calls for anyone with information that can lead to the arrest of these criminals to come forward and report this to the nearest Police Station.
It must be remembered that for the longest time, SADTU has been raising the issue of safety (or rather lack of it) of learners and education workers in schools which the Department of Education in the Province has never raised even a finger indicating that such is being attended to. In our memorandum of demands that was presented to the MEC and Premier during our march in October 2023 and was duly received, the matter was on top of the agenda and the Department of Education, working together with the Department of Community Safety and Liaison in the Province, was supposed to act on it with the speed it required. However, up until this time, regardless of SADTU's numerous calls to have a Schools' Safety and Security Indaba to discuss and come up with possible programs to deal with this pandemic, the Department seems to have a low appetite in attending to this while our members continue to be the subjects of crime and sacrificial lambs of killers.
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We continue to call upon our communities, all and sundry to support our "I AM A SCHOOL FAN" campaign to create awareness in our quest to make schools safe havens for both learners and teachers. It is in communities taking ownership of schools and acknowledging that education workers are community workers, and they need full protection and support of the same so that we realize such an envisaged dream.
We wish to express our sincere appreciation to the branch and regional leadership of SADTU for their prompt response and rushed to the school to be with the teachers and learners during this difficult time. Our union is about solidarity, peace and support.
Our condolences go to the family of the deceased, her colleagues and learners who were exposed to such a traumatic experience. We shall keep in contact with the Department in making sure that all those affected receive the necessary support.
