WCED allocates R5.2 million to protect schools as crime surges ahead of holidays
The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has allocated more than R5.2 million to safeguard schools across the province during the 2025/26 festive season, following a year marked by hundreds of break-ins, vandalism incidents and thefts at school properties.
According to the department, over 840 incidents of crime were reported at schools during the first three terms of 2025 alone, resulting in a repair bill exceeding R5.1 million for the provincial government.
Several communities, including Mitchells Plain, Paarl, Manenberg, Bonteheuwel, and Khayelitsha, have been among the hardest hit.
Western Cape MPL and DA spokesperson on education, Peter Johnson, said the investment comes at a critical time as the school year wraps up and buildings become more vulnerable to attacks.
“The DA in the Western Cape welcomes the WCED’s decisive investment in protecting schools and reducing vandalism over the holiday period,” Johnson said.
“Every rand spent repairing damages is a rand not spent on feeding a child, transporting a learner or buying textbooks.”
The festive season safety strategy includes 24-hour security at high-risk schools, funded through the dedicated R5.2 million holiday budget. The WCED will also deploy 82 School Resource Officers in partnership with the City of Cape Town.
Schools will further be incorporated into the SAPS-led Safer Festive Season Operational Plan, ensuring “heightened patrols and visibility” in crime hotspots.
The plan also activates what Johnson described as a “whole-of-society safety network” involving law enforcement, neighbourhood watches, NGOs and the Safe Schools Call Centre to strengthen community vigilance.
A holiday programme, offered in partnership with the Safe Schools unit, will run during the first week of school closures and will focus on “life skills, leadership and conflict management,” aiming to keep young people constructively engaged and reduce crime opportunities.
Johnson said the WCED’s approach demonstrates a clear commitment to safeguarding the province’s education infrastructure.
“The DA-led WCED’s comprehensive festive season school safety plan shows that we are serious about protecting our schools so that resources are focused on education, not repairs,” he said.
“We urge communities to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity around schools during the holidays.”
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