Mahalapye police �fed up� with unruly students

Bonte Seepi | Wednesday August 30, 2017 17:30

In an interview with Mmegi, Mahalapye Police station commander, Isaac Mamadi said that most of the incidents they have recorded so far involve students of Madiba Senior Secondary School. “We are almost fed up with Madiba and other secondary school students in Mahalapye because it is either they steal or they fight,.”

He said last week they had to address Madiba students about the dangers of engaging in notorious activities after a science laboratory was broken into where eight tablets, used in science-related experiments, were stolen. He said even though they have not arrested anyone in connection with the incident, they suspect students because they are the ones who know where the tablets are kept.

He said since the beginning of the year they have been registering cases of break-ins at various secondary schools in Mahalapye, with science laboratories and the kitchen most frequently targeted. He said recently they arrested three Parwe Junior School boys aged under 18 years after some foodstuffs were found at their homes.

He said a few weeks ago, they also arrested six secondary school boys who were brawling and one being stabbed with a knife and was subsequently hospitalised at Mahalapye Hospital. He said before this incident, they arrested two members of gangs that were fighting over a girl, where a 14-year-old Madiba student was killed after being stabbed with a knife. Mamadi said they strongly suspect the use of drugs as the main cause of naughtiness amongst the students.

He explained that recently they caught three boys from Pekenene Junior School, aged between 15 and 16, using a drug suspected to be dagga. “Upon interrogation, one of the boys said that he stole the dagga at home. The police went and searched at his family home where they realised that his father was selling the drug. We arrested the 48-year-old father and his son aged 15. We have charged them accordingly.”

Mamadi said that the police have reached an agreement with the Madiba headmaster that they should visit the school regularly to address the students in a bid to bring sanity to the classrooms. He urged parents to have an input in such meetings, as they can also offer ideas that can help return the schools to normalcy.