The Gauteng Department of Education and the SAPS carried out multiple school searches this week in areas north of Pretoria, removing quantities of dagga, nyaope and suspected abortion pills from learners, the department said.
Operations across Tshwane and further afield
On Wednesday five schools in Mabopane and Soshanguve were searched as part of an ongoing safety intervention led by the department and supported by police. The latest sweep brings to 17 the number of schools targeted in the current operation, the department reported.
The searches included:
- Baleseng Junior Secondary School
- Tiyelelani Secondary School
- Ngaka Maseko Secondary School
- Holy Trinity Secondary School
- FR Smangaliso Mkhatshwa Secondary School
In earlier operations this month the department and police also searched schools in Khutsong, Carletonville and neighbourhoods in Alexandra, where officers seized a variety of prohibited items including knives, vapes and suspected dagga.
| Location | Items recovered (reported) |
|---|---|
| Mabopane, Soshanguve | Dagga, nyaope, suspected abortion pills |
| Khutsong | Knife, fork, vapes, suspected dagga sachets |
| Alexandra | Suspected dagga, vapes, cigarettes, scissors, glass shards, knives |
Concerns over learners being used to distribute drugs
The department said a “substantial amount” of dagga was found in the possession of a female learner at one of the schools, and that another pupil was alleged to have been recruited by a local dealer to sell small packets of dagga. In addition to dagga and nyaope, officers located suspected abortion pills during searches.
“Our children must never be used as instruments for criminal activity. Those who target learners and use them to distribute drugs are attacking the future of our communities,” said Gauteng Education MEC Lebogang Maile.
Maile described the discoveries as worrying and said the searches formed part of the department’s wider school-safety intervention under its “It Takes a Village to Raise a Child” programme, which brings together parents, communities, law enforcement agencies and school governing bodies.
Police role and next steps
The operations are being led by the SAPS, the education department said. When prohibited items are recovered police can open cases and pursue criminal investigations, including possible charges against those found in possession of or distributing illegal substances on school property.
School governing bodies, parents and community structures are being asked to support the initiative. The department has previously stressed that searches are intended to remove dangerous items from school grounds and to deter criminal networks that target learners.
- What parents should know: Schools may conduct safety searches in cooperation with police and school governing bodies. Parents are encouraged to engage with principals about security plans.
- How schools should act: Report recovered items to SAPS immediately, secure the scene and follow up with counselling and support for learners involved or affected.
- Community role: Share information with law enforcement and encourage anonymous tip-offs where criminal recruitment of learners is suspected.
Community impact and broader context
Findings of drugs and weapons in schools add to concerns about youth vulnerability to criminal activity in several Gauteng communities. Educators and parents face the dual challenge of keeping learners safe on school property while addressing the social problems that enable criminal networks to target vulnerable young people.
Officials say co‑ordinated action — combining school safety measures, policing, social services and parental involvement — is essential to curb the recruitment of learners into drug distribution and to keep classrooms safe for learning.
Police and the education department did not publish details of arrests or pending charges linked to Wednesday’s raids. Further updates are expected from the SAPS as investigations proceed.
Residents concerned about school safety should contact their local school governing body or the Gauteng Department of Education for information about planned interventions and reporting channels.
