The Gauteng Department of Education said it needs communities to work with them to keep drugs away from schools.
This follows Wednesday’s incident at the Pulamadibogo Primary School in Soshanguve where 90 pupils were rushed to the hospital after eating muffins allegedly laced with marijuana.
It is alleged that two men were selling the so-called space muffins outside the school premises in a buy-one-and-get-one-free deal.
The men, Amukelani Nyalunga and Ofentse Maluleka have been since arrested and appeared in court, facing eight counts of attempted murder relating to the incident.
Gauteng Education spokesperson Steve Mabona said that were it not for the quick actions of the school staff, the situation could have ended differently.
“We are not in the community, as the department, we are in the school, but we have launched a safety plan, which is going to assist us in enforcing safety in the school premises. Outside we are compromised if the community doesn’t play a significant role.”
‘KIDS NOT A BREWING GROUND FOR DRUGS’
The parents said the courts need to make an example of the men who gave the children space muffins.
Mpho Matlou said her 11-year-old daughter was one of the 90 children who were rushed to the hospital.
Matlou said it doesn’t matter whether the children bought the space muffins willingly.
She said the two grown men should have known better than to sell the drug-laced muffins to primary school children.
“We want to set an example in South Africa. Our children are not a brewing ground for drugs – they are innocent.”
Nyalunga and Maluleka are due back at the Soshanguve Magistrate Court on Friday where the State is likely to add more attempted murder charges to their case.
-EWN
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