Basic Education Minister outlines school safety measures following Durban teacher’s murder

Durban — The Department of Basic Education has highlighted some of the protocols and policies implemented in schools to prevent violence and ensure schools are weapon-free.

This follows the killing of Dudu Khumalo, a teacher at Phikiswayo Primary School in Ntuzuma, Durban, on July 29, 2024. According to police reports two men entered the school pretending to be parents of a Grade R pupil. They then shot Khumalo.

The Department of Basic Education (DBE) Minister Siviwe Gwarube said Khumalo’s murder had left the department distressed. Gwarube said that the department has several protocols and policies being implemented in schools to prevent this kind of violence and ensure that schools remain safe spaces that are weapon-free. Gwarube said it was concerning that despite these measures an incident of this nature has taken place.

Gwarube said this when responding to a parliamentary written question submitted by the uMkhonto weSizwe Party’s Nokwethemba Mtshweni.

Mtshweni said Khumalo was shot dead at the school, highlighting the escalation of violent crimes, including gun violence. Mtshweni said this had become prevalent.

Mtshweni asked, what steps have been or will be taken to address the issue of safety in schools and what measures are being implemented to provide support and justice for the victims of such violence?

Gwarube replied:

1. Following the murder the district director, circuit managers and Special Needs Education Services (SNES) in KZN were sent to the school to support those affected by the incident.
2. School Safety and Security in the Pinetown District visited the school to ensure that all safety protocols as outlined in the National School Safety Framework (NSSF) were in place.
3. The (SAPS) Ntuzuma Police Station responded to the scene within minutes. Gwarube stated that conducting an investigation and providing justice for the victim, the onus remains on law enforcement agencies such as SAPS to act swiftly.
4. On support, Gwarube said the department deployed a safety officer to the school to help reinforce current safety and security protocols and a debriefing for teachers and pupils was carried out with SNES.
5. The Department of Social Development and the Employee Assistant Programme deployed separate teams to the school to provide psychosocial support to teachers and pupils for two weeks following the incident.
6. Khumalo’s family was also provided with support through transportation to her memorial service, psychosocial support and trauma debriefing by a social worker provided by the department, facilitation of fast-tracking.
7. Khumalo’s post-mortem and assistance with funeral arrangements was facilitated by the department in collaboration with the school and her family.

National School Safety Framework

Gwarube said that the DBE continues to implement the NSSF which is a guiding framework for addressing all forms of violent incidents in schools including gun violence.

“The NSSF empowers schools to identify and manage all safety threats in schools, (and) establish school safety committees comprising of stakeholders such as teachers, police officers, school governing body members and learner representative council members,” Gwarube said.

“Furthermore, the NSSF also empowers schools to develop incident reporting mechanisms, establish collaborations with external stakeholders such as the SAPS, the DSD and civil society organisations, develop school safety plans and policies to respond to safety challenges of violence in schools for both learners and educators,” Gwarube continued.

“Through the implementation of the NSSF, access control measures in schools are strengthened and awareness programmes by partner departments and civil society organisations are implemented in schools.”

Gwarube said that in Khumalo’s case, the safety officer deployed to the school recommended that the school strengthen their access control policy and implement a “by appointment only” policy at the school so that the security guard may always be certain of the identity of visitors.

Currently, the school allows parents to come and go as they please, and this led to the criminals involved in the shooting impersonating parents to gain access to the school premises.

Department of Basic Education and SAPS protocol

Gwarube further explained that the department established a protocol with SAPS to address school crime and violence.

The protocol enables all schools to be linked to their local police stations, SAPS to conduct searches and seizures and conduct crime awareness campaigns in schools. Searches and seizures aim to reduce violence in the schools (including gun violence) by confiscating contraband such as weapons, drugs, alcohol and other dangerous items to ensure that schools remain weapon and drug-free zones. However, these searches and seizures are only conducted if there is reasonable suspicion of violence in the school.

Schools regularly work with the SAPS, local community police forums and social workers to address violent incidents such as gangsterism, bullying, drug abuse and the carrying of dangerous weapons in schools.

Gwarube said this incident will be followed up to ensure that Phikiswayo Primary School can move forward from this incident with appropriate support, and reinforcement of their safety protocols to ensure an incident like this does not occur in the school ever again, and teachers and pupils can feel safe within their school.

“The protocols and policies of the DBE will continue to be refined and implemented in schools across the country to prevent incidents of this nature from occurring in other schools and to keep our children and educators safe and keep our schools gun- and violence-free zones,” Gwarube concluded.

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