Dunoon Primary school faces challenges after theft of electricity cables

Dunoon Primary School is grappling with the severe repercussions of escalating criminal activity in the community, having been forced to open the new school year without essential services such as electricity and Wi-Fi.

Acting Principal Thelisa Siyo reported that the school discovered the issue on January 12, the first day teachers arrived.

"When we arrived, there was no electricity anywhere in the school. The next day, we realised that the wires and electricity cables had been stolen," Siyo explained.

She added that the theft has also disrupted access to water, as the school’s toilets rely on an electric water pump.

"Without electricity, we don’t have water. Our computers and projectors are also affected. We can’t make photocopies of learning materials, and teaching with projectors has become impossible." 

Siyo noted that the school depends on an inverter as a backup power supply, which the community helps charge. "We pay them what we can as a token of appreciation for their help," she said.

This is not the first time Dunoon Primary has been targeted. According to Siyo, previous thefts of electricity cables have left the school vulnerable, forcing repeated repairs and disruptions.

The Department of Education has tried to address the problem by installing solar panels, but these were either damaged or stolen. The department also supplied the school with the inverter.

"The root of the problem is criminal activity in the community. Cables are stolen and sold as scrap. We urgently need better solutions to address this ongoing issue," Siyo emphasised.

Dunoon Primary’s situation is part of a larger pattern affecting schools across the Western Cape. The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has reported repeated incidents of burglary, vandalism, and theft at schools, especially during school holidays. In the June/July 2025 holiday period, 57 incidents of burglary and vandalism were recorded at 46 schools, an increase from the year before.

Items stolen or damaged included electrical wiring, computers, plumbing fixtures, sports equipment, and other school resources.

Reports from media, education organisations, and civil society groups have also highlighted the impact of vandalism and break‑ins on learner safety and education.

Researchers note that repeated criminal acts can result in delayed school starts, loss of instructional time, and reduced access to learning materials, ultimately harming the quality of education. 

Attempts to get a comment from the Western Cape Department of Education were not answered at the time of publication.

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