Local schools take extra precautions

Following the murder of five-year-old Lusanda Dumakude of Berg Street Primary.

After the murder of five-year-old Lusanda Dumakude of Berg Street Primary, a few local primary schools have increased their security, some now using teachers to ensure that students are safe.

Lusanda Dumakude was discovered earlier this week in a deserted forest in Woodlands, approximately 20 km from her family home in Sweetwaters. This girl was last seen by a vendor, Johanna Williams, outside the school in the Pietermaritzburg CBD just before 1 pm.

Many schools confirmed that they do not have security and guards and none were allocated to them by the Department of Education and as a result were forced to supply their own security. Vasu Soobryan, the Principal of Mountain Rise Primary School said that the safety of pupils is not guaranteed after school ends for the day. “The school has placed educators in the school property after hours to ensure that the students remain safe until 2:30 pm” said Soobryan.

Gugu Dumakude, the aunt of Lusanda, said that her niece’s death had affected their family very negatively. “Lusanda will be buried at Ezimbomvini in Sweetwaters on Saturday” said Dumakude.