Even having a police officer living on the premises hasn't stopped theft and vandalism at Samuel Ntsiko Primary School. The school is one of four in Grahamstown whose caretaker cottages are occupied by police officers.
Even having a police officer living on the premises hasn't stopped theft and vandalism at Samuel Ntsiko Primary School. The school is one of four in Grahamstown whose caretaker cottages are occupied by police officers.
Of Samuel Ntsiko, Andrew Moyakhe Higher Primary School, Nathaniel Nyaluza High School and Fikizolo Primary School only Nathaniel Nyaluza has a full-time caretaker – and he doesn't live on the premises.
"The school came to us they said they would love to rent the cottage to a policemen, someone who will do an immediate action when something is happening," said the Lieutenant Bacela Sakhie, who lives in the Samuel Ntsiko cottage.
"I think our presence here does have an impact on crime; however, even now that I am here, there are cases that are opened here."
He said his house had been burgled and the school had been vandalised several times. Nathaniel Nyaluza caretaker Vuyo Nzuzo said the cottage on the school's premises was too small for his big family.
"There is nothing behind me living the school except for I bought a house in Vukani location," he said.
"I extended the house and then moved out to live in it. I have a big family and school's cottage could not fit us all; hence, I bought the house and extended it so that we can have our own big space," Nzuzo said.
It turns out to be a coincidence that all this four schools have policemen living on the premises.
Teacher at Andrew Moyakhe, Nomfuneko Royi, said the school's caretaker had left for a job at the Department of Education.
The school had been left without a caretaker and the cottage was empty, so there were a lot of break-ins.
"The school decided that we should let policemen live in the cottage," Royi said.
"A policeman came and we gave him the place."
"There was no meeting between the schools that made us decide to all have policemen in the cottages," Principal of Samuel Ntsiko, Nombulelo Koliti, said. "I didn't even know that other schools had policemen in their caretaker cottages."
Rent from the police officer goes to the school's funds.
"The Department of Education has allocated the school two cleaners. The maintenance of the property cannot be done by just one person. We therefore use the rent and the additional raised funds to help pay our additional cleaner," said Fikizolo principal Monde Dlepu.
"Generally, policemen have the shadow of respect."
