[imagesource: Reuters]

How hard can it be to verify whether or not 162 schoolkids have been abducted from the Tirelong Secondary School in the North West province?

Quite hard, I guess, with some conflicting reports emerging over the past 48 hours.

TimesLIVE reports that the alleged incident took place on Tuesday night. The drunkards pretended to be parents, and the North West education department expressed its “dismay” the following day:

The department said that about 8pm on Tuesday, the mob arrived at the Boons Mega Farm School gates in four vehicles. They wanted the Tirelong Secondary School pupils who had been accommodated at the farm school after criminals stole electricity cables, water taps, the roof, books, window frames, doors and kitchen utensils from the school…

According to the department, when the perpetrators arrived at the gate the security guards refused to let them in as they could not provide their necessary identifications.

Despite a small gate being broken, security guards at first prevented the drunkards from entering.

The Tirelong pupils had been moved to three different schools after their school was vandalised during the December 2021 holidays.

This was not a popular decision, with reports from last week highlighting the unrest:

Learners at Tirelong Secondary in the North West are against their temporary relocation. School Management Teams and educators across the province are preparing for the school year. #Newzroom405 ‘s @moeraneb14 is in Rustenburg for more details. pic.twitter.com/FCuw7TAtkF

— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) January 10, 2022

Back to Tuesday night, and the mob managed to get the attention of the schoolchildren who forced their way out of the building.

It’s alleged that five bakkies then transported the 162 pupils in five bakkie loads with 10 remaining behind after refusing to leave.

North West provincial education MEC, Mmaphefo Matsemela, said she was in possession of “video clips to substantiate that these were not parents”.

This morning, it was reported by EWN that North West police are still trying to piece together the bizarre timeline of events

The police’s Adele Myburgh, however, said that the school principal opened a case of malicious damage to property but no parent has opened a case of abduction as being claimed by the school.

“The school principal yesterday morning opened a case for malicious damage to property. That is the only case that’s been opened so far. We’d like to urge all parents involved in this alleged incident to please come forward and report it to local police so that we can investigate,” Myburgh said.

According to IOL, this is actually the second incident in which Tirelong learners were forcefully removed from boarding school.

The first incident happened at Naauwpoort Mega Farm School on Sunday night when 54 learners were abducted:

Parents reportedly arrived on Sunday night at the school in four minibus taxis, a truck and two cars to forcefully collect their children.

The group overpowered the security guards at the gate, broke the gate lock and took 56 children but 18 refused to go with them.

The 18 indicated that they wanted to study without any disturbance.

Again, what the hell is happening up there in the North West?

Schoolchildren need the right environment to learn and vandalised properties and late-night abductions is far from ideal.

If anything can be gained from this, let’s hope it helps more fortunate learners (and parents) with a little perspective.

[sources:timeslive&ewn&iol]