Over 200 vapes, knives, toy guns found during a raid at Belvedere School in Benoni
A Benoni high school was raided on Wednesday in an effort to curb unlawful activities on school premises.
The Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Police Department (EMPD) K9 Unit said they discovered over 200 vapes and dangerous weapons at Belvedere School in Benoni, Gauteng.
On the day of the search, EMPD officers took proactive measures to inspect students and their belongings systematically.
Learners were subject to body searches while the K9 Unit’s specially trained sniffer dogs scoured classrooms and school bags for illicit substances and dangerous weapons.
EMPD officers uncovered a concerning array of items: three toy guns, ten knives, seven ziplock bags containing cannabis (dagga), three knuckle dusters, 221 vapes, five matchboxes, and nine lighters.
The EMPD has pledged to continue these inspections regularly, aiming to deter illegal activities and ensure a secure atmosphere conducive to learning.
Last month, a 17-year-old Grade 10 learner at Trenance Park Secondary School in the Pinetown District, KwaZulu-Natal, was stabbed in the neck with a kitchen knife by two Grade 8 learners during school hours.
KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Education Sipho Hlomuka said, “We are relieved to report that his condition is stable, and we remain hopeful for his full recovery.” The attackers were arrested by Reaction Unit South Africa and handed over to SAPS.
In a separate KwaZulu-Natal incident, a mass brawl at Esther Payne Smith Secondary School in Northdale left two learners, aged 15 and 17, with deep lacerations to their heads and legs. Mi7 emergency services responded quickly and took the injured to hospital. A suspect was taken into custody.
sinenhlanhla.masilela@iol.co.za
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