BRAVE Ndabayakhe residents managed to extinguish flames in the nick of time to prevent the fire spreading after a staff room was set alight at Masakhane High School outside Empangeni on Tuesday night.
Community members forced their way onto the locked and fenced school grounds after a fire was reported at 7:30pm.
They managed to save most of the school property, but a large number of stored text books, administration documents and test scripts due for marking were destroyed.
According to the police, evidence indicated that perpetrators used paper to start the fire through a back window of the administration building.
‘A school neighbour witnessed smoke coming from the building and reported the incident to one of the teachers, who then informed the police and the fire department,’ said Empangeni police spokesperson, Capt Mbongeni Mdlalose.
Though the motive behind the incident is still unknown, a case of arson was opened with the Empangeni police. No arrest have yet been made.
Ward 29 Counsellor Prince Mathenjwa told the Zululand Observer on Wednesday that the matter would be discussed at a community meeting on Saturday.
‘At the moment we don’t have answers, but we are grateful to the community members who rushed to the scene and saved school property,’
‘We appeal for residents and pupils with information on the motive or the identity of the perpetrators to come forward and report the matter to the police,’ said Mathenjwa.
On Wednesday, Department of Education Ngwelezane Circuit Manager, Vusi Mhlungu, visited the school to assess the damage.
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