Pupils at Wedela Technical High School in Carletonville are being forced to carry buckets of water to flush toilets and travel to neighbouring schools for technical and computer classes, as relentless vandalism by illegal miners has left the once-promising institution in a state of collapse.
Once regarded as a beacon of opportunity in the gold mining town, the school has been systematically stripped of vital infrastructure over several years. Armed zama zamas have looted everything from copper cables to plumbing, leaving more than 1 400 learners without basic services.
The latest incident occurred over the weekend when illegal miners attempting to steal the last of the school’s electricity cables opened fire during a confrontation with police.
Community patrollers, who now guard the few remaining structures, say the armed miners scaled the school’s wall under the cover of darkness before digging outside a classroom in search of copper wiring.
Residents fear the ongoing criminal activity will render the school unusable, further jeopardising the futures of hundreds of pupils already displaced by the destruction.