Thugs hit Morris Isaacson twice in a row

Steve Khanyile, Principal of Morris Isaacson.

Ayanda Zethu, a grade 12 learner. His end of the year performance could be in  jeopardy because thieves have stolen Smart Boards at his school.

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Nie  Cele

Believe or not, one of the remarkable School in Soweto has become the cash cow and a soft target for hardnosed criminals.

In an unprecedented twist crooks have robbed Morris Isaacson  Secondary School learning material worth more than a million  twice in a space of 204 days of the 2017 study calendar.

This iconic school is best knownfor its leading role in June 16 uprisings in 1976, for producing worthy matric results, prominent leaders, professionals, academics  and high flying politicians.

Situated between a poverty stricken and drugs ridden township White City and Central Western Jabavu.

According to Principal, Steve Khanyile ,the school was first ransacked at gunpoint in January and the criminals walked away with tablets,laptops, data projectors, desktop computers, hard drives and a video camera donated by the school alumni.

This time around they snatched half a dozen smart boards estimated at R120 000 each.

The visible distraught Principal told this publication that he suspects some foul play in the second incident given that four school guards were on duty and the recently installed CCTV cameras were on.

“On the fateful night  robbers gained entry via the palisade fence at the back of the school and accosted one guard and two boys who live in the school. They were tied up with shoelaces. They then broke doors and burglaries in the grade 12 classes and seized the smartboards.”

Khanyile suspect that its an inside job because the crooks never attempted  to go anywhere near the guard room where they could  have been intercepted by the other three guards and captured bythe cameras.

“It appears, its somebody who knows the school scenario very well, even though we are not sure what really happened. And the fact that tracking units of these smartboards were discreetly stripped raises some eyebrows,”He said.

The principal also revealed that there is a misconception amongst the broader society that the school was rich.

“Morris  Isaacson is a section 21 school that gets the same budget allocation like any other schools in the township,” He added.

He also divulged that the Education district office has since terminated thecontract of the guards who were on duty on that evening since their contract was lapsing soon.

Pressed further, Khanyile did not rule the possibility of someone who is trying to sabotage him. Although he told this reporter that he has no enemies.

According to him, the camera footage shows none of the three guards patrolling on the night, except one who was captured urinating twice not far from the guard room.

“The big question is why couldn’t he go and patrol or check his other colleague. And why the other two were sleeping. They are paid to guard the school and not to slumber.”

Khanyile also revealed that the school and the tracking company are busy working out how these smart boards could be replaced.

“This is a serious loss for the school and the learners.”

This publication has since established unconfirmed rumors that after their nefarious act at the school these robbers went on to rob a nearby restaurant situated less than a kilometer from Morris Isaacson.

Did you know?

Morris Isaacson was named after the Lithuanian Jewish immigrant in 1896 who became wealthy by trading and setting up a fund for black students to complete their education at university level.