Klapmuts High School, situated along the Cape Winelands, has come under the spotlight for recent incidents of violence on school grounds.
A security guard was allegedly assaulted by learners, and in a separate incident, a Grade 10 student was stabbed by another Grade 10 learner, causing widespread panic within the community.
During this particular incident parents rushed to the school and the South African Police Service (SAPS) were called to the scene.
On 5 February 2025, two learners were involved in an assault against a school security guard, and later that same day, a violent altercation broke out off school premises, believed to be gang-related.
Bullying
The Department of Basic Education (DBE) confirmed that in the first three months of the 2025 school year, more than 500 cases of bullying were reported across schools in the country, further underscoring the urgency for more comprehensive safety measures in educational institutions.
This series of incidents highlights the growing concern over safety in schools across the country, these incidents at Klapmuts High serving as an example of a broader issue facing many schools across South Africa, particularly those in high-risk areas, where gang violence and bullying are prominent concerns.
Bronagh Hammond, a spokesperson for the Western Cape Education Department (WCED), explained: "The school is addressing the incidents above in terms of its disciplinary procedures.
“There has also been numerous engagement in terms of psycho-social support and improvement in safety mechanisms and procedures.”
Regarding school safety and SAPS, Hammond said the Department are reliant on the support from safety and law agencies, especially when it comes to community violence and gangsterism which can affect our schools.
“We are also reliant on visible policing. Unfortunately, some of the stations are under-resourced.
“What we do have is the School Resource Officer (SRO) project with the City of Cape Town.
“SRO officers are allocated based on crime stats and safe schools data.”
School safety
She further added that the Department is committed to improving safety in schools, and is working with various partners, including SAPS and local communities, to address the root causes of violence in our schools.
In 2024, 64 officers were deployed to 32 schools across the province, where they conduct security patrols, address potential issues that may lead to violence, and work with school staff to develop crime prevention programs.
These officers also help with emergency preparedness and after-school programs, assisting learners in building life skills.
While funding for these safety initiatives remains limited, both the City of Cape Town and the WCED continue to contribute to the programme, with the hope that more officers will be deployed in the future as funds become available.
As part of this ongoing strategy to improve school safety, the WCED has identified a number of "schools at risk" where learners and staff are particularly vulnerable to violence, bullying, and other criminal activities.
These schools are prioritised for interventions such as the SRO programme and other support initiatives. The following schools, located in areas with high levels of gang violence, substance abuse, and bullying, have been classified as "schools at risk".
Schools at risk
- Forest Heights HS – Eerste Rivier
- Voorbrug HS – Delft
- Downeville PS – Manenberg
- Hillwood PS – Lavender Hill
- Prince George PS – Lavender Hill
- Iqhayiya HS – Khayelitsha
- John Ramsay HS – Bishop Lavis
- Capricorn PS – Capricorn
- Elswood HS – Elsies River
- Levana PS – Lavender Hill
- Modderdam HS – Bonteheuwel
- Phoenix HS – Manenberg
- Bonteheuwel HS – Bonteheuwel
- Arcadia HS – Bonteheuwel
To report school-related safety incidents, the public can contact the Safe Schools Call Centre on 0800 45 46 47 or via email at [email protected].
Weekend Argus