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3 SCHOOLS PETROL-BOMBED, MESSAGES ON WALLS

22/02/2022 09:26:00 Phiwase Phungwayo and Thokozani Mamba

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MANZINI - On the second week of the ongoing Junior Certificate (JC) examinations, three schools have experienced arson attacks.

Nkiliji, Mcozini and Malindza High schools were invaded by unknown men, who petrol-bombed some of the buildings and left them with spray-painted messages suggesting that they would soon return. This happened yesterday morning. Johannes Mhlongo, the security guard at Nkiliji High School, said it was at around 1am when he went out of his guardhouse at the school to make his rounds after the rain had stopped. “I was met by three men wearing balaclavas, who seemed to be heading towards the guardhouse. One was carrying a revolver. I quickly rushed inside,” Mhlongo narrated. He said the men hit the window and door, ordering him to come outside lest they killed him. In fear of being harmed, the security guard said he came out.

Escorted

Mhlongo said they escorted him to the front of the gate, where they left him. He said they went to the administration block housing the deputy’s office, staffroom, secretary’s office and another office which was used by some teachers. He mentioned that they broke some windows and threw a petrol bomb inside the block. “A teacher, who resides in one of the teachers’ quarters, raised the alarm and the man carrying a gun fired two shots in the air and hurled insults, warning her to keep quiet,” Mhlongo recounted. However, the security guard shared that the flammable liquid the men were using ran out, and it was then that they stopped burning the structures. He said they immediately burnt the 20-litre container that was carrying the liquid. Mhlongo relayed that they used spray paint to write a message that read, ‘Sitobuya.’ The message was removed immediately after the matter was reported to authorities.

Disappeared

He said the men then accosted him to open the gate for them, which he did. Thereafter, Mhlongo said they ran to the nearest bush, where they disappeared. He elaborated that due to a power cut and that they were wearing balaclavas, he could not identify their faces. The security guard said it was then that the police were called, who came to the scene. The head teacher could not be drawn for comment as his phone rang unanswered for the better part of the day. Nonetheless, Manzini Acting Regional Educational Officer Sizwe Kunene confirmed that the two schools had been subject to arson attacks by unknown men.

Meanwhile, during a visit to Mcozini High School yesterday, teachers were found in a meeting. An impeccable source shared that five men wearing balaclavas stormed the school and headed to the head teacher’s office. It is situated in an administration block that was torched by unknown arsonists last year. Since the arson attack at the school, only the head teacher’s office was renovated. According to an impeccable source, he was alarmed by a bang within the school premises. He said he soon learnt that it was five men who were wearing balaclavas and carrying weapons, he said thereafter, he saw a huge flame coming from the head teacher’s office. At the sight of the flame, the source said he saw the men quickly running outside the gate. He said he quickly went to put out the fire before it consumed most of the items which were already in flames.

The source said there were burning papers on the head teacher’s desk, and he promptly put out the flames. After this, he said he called the police. He revealed that there were messages insinuating that the attackers would be back and that there was no school. He said the messages were removed before learners could come to school to prevent any disturbances. A teacher, who commented on condition of anonymity, shared that they were all living in fear. She said they were teaching while looking over their shoulders. The head teacher of the school, who asked not to be named, confirmed the arson attack, but did not wish to elaborate.

Meanwhile, at Malindza High School, the damages are estimated to be in the region of E100 000, which include books and furniture. According to the school’s Head teacher, Thulasizwe Zwane, the incident happened around 4am. Zwane said he was at home in Bhunya when he was informed about the incident by the school’s chairperson. Among the items that were burnt were SiSwati books, desks, chairs, electricity wiring and the wall including shattered window panes. The head teacher said he received a call at around 4:30am after an attempt by the school’s security guard to reach him failed as his mobile phone was off due to a power blackout at his home in Bhunya. He said the security guard told him that at the time of the bombing of the staffroom, he had left the guardhouse to do a routine patrol around the school’s premises.

The head teacher said he then called the police at that instance. Zwane said police officers called to advise him to close the gates in the morning and not allow pupils inside as they would tamper with the evidence. However, Form III pupils wrote their Agriculture Paper I at 9am and further sat for their Science Paper I later on in the day. The head teacher said he dispersed the other pupils due to the fact that the matter was still being discussed in hushed tones along the school’s corridors. Zwane said police, after inspection of the scene, said sniffer dogs also found two traces of safety boots. “Lessons will resume today. It was a good decision to let the pupils go bearing in mind that they would be disturbed by the whole incident,” he said.

The head teacher said the arson incident was happening for the first time since the unrest erupted last year and said the office of the Acting Lubombo Regional Education Officer (REO), Richard Dlamini, was informed about the incident. “I think the pupils need counseling and I will not single out those sitting for their exams, but all of them. They need someone who can talk to them and try to psychologically calm their anxiety and fear,” Zwane said. In random interviews conducted among the dispersed pupils, a Form IV pupil confided that there was a pupil who was expelled at the school in 2020 due to unruliness and this did not go down well with him hence he had been the ringleader in the rioting of pupils at his new school. “He is still aggrieved and it is unfortunate that our head teacher is new and is not the one who expelled him. During the unrest last year, he led pupils from his school to disturb us in joining them, but police stopped them,” alleged the pupil.

Another pupil echoed his sentiments, mentioning that he was well-known for his unbecoming behaviour. “I know him and he is still angry because he was expelled for inciting other pupils to riot and we are told that he is continuing with his unruliness at his new school,” claimed the pupil. The Head teacher, Zwane, said he was not aware of the matter as he was new at the school. “I assumed my position last year and I am not aware of the said pupil,” he said. The Acting REO, Dlamini, confirmed the matter. “I am still to visit the school and ascertain what happened. It is unfortunate that the incident happens at a time when pupils are busy writing their exams. We hope the situation normalise,” he said.

Deputy Police Information and Communications Officer Inspector Nosipho Mnguni confirmed the incidents. When asked on the likelihood that the unknown arsonists could be the same considering the use of graffiti, Mnguni said she could not pre-empt anything. However, she assured that the police were investigating the matter. Ministry of Education and Training Principal Secretary (PS) Bheki Gama said people who burnt schools did not wish to see children succeed. “We condemn these acts, especially now when external examinations are ongoing. These attacks are perpetrated by cowards, fools who do not understand the value of education,” Gama said.