An Urgent Call for Independent Risk Assessments
Organized crime syndicates are now targeting one of the most vulnerable sectors in South Africa: our schools. Extortion, threats, and intimidation are no longer confined to construction sites or taxi routes. They have infiltrated educational institutions, placing staff and children at serious risk. This article highlights the gravity of the situation and explains why independent security risk assessments are no longer optional. They are essential.
If you would like to arrange a Microsoft Teams meeting to discuss how your school or institution can benefit from a proper, independent risk assessment, please contact us directly at andre@alwinco.co.za. You are also welcome to make an inquiry by telephone.
We recently conducted an independent security risk assessment for a school in Stellenbosch, identifying vulnerabilities that standard assessments often overlook. This process allows us to recommend practical measures that strengthen the overall safety and security of the community.
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Mafia-Style Crime Targeting South African Schools
Organized crime groups, often referred to as mafias, are increasingly targeting schools across South Africa. What once seemed unthinkable has now become reality. Extortion, intimidation, and threats of violence are being directed at school staff. These groups no longer engage only in typical criminal activities like hijackings. They are now demanding protection money and instilling fear as part of their operations. What we are seeing is structured and deliberate. It qualifies as Mafia-style activity.
In 2024,
Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube raised the alarm about a rise in extortion cases in the Eastern Cape, a province with more than 5,000 schools. This region has become a focal point for this type of crime. One case involved criminals demanding R50,000 from a nurse at Efata School for the Blind. When she refused, they stole her belongings and returned to pressure the school principal. In another case, criminals forced teachers at Zane Mfundo Primary School in Phillipi East to pay 10 percent of their salaries for protection. The situation became so dangerous that the school cancelled classes. Although the school reported these cases to the South African Police Service, authorities did little in response.
These are not isolated incidents.
Similar criminal structures already exist in other sectors. Construction mafias are targeting building projects. Water tanker mafias are profiting from basic service failures. Taxi and tender mafias continue to thrive. Corruption mafias are also infiltrating universities and manipulating governance systems to commit large-scale fraud.
The 2023 Global Organized Crime Index ranked South Africa as seventh in the world for criminality. These networks are deeply rooted, sustained by corruption, and allowed to operate because of weak governance. The high crime rate and widespread mistrust in law enforcement have also contributed to the massive growth of private security companies. Many operate illegally. Some, however, function as hired muscle for criminal operations. These companies threaten and intimidate while appearing legitimate. The police struggle to intervene due to limited resources and the sheer volume of unregulated companies.
Now, schools have become the new focus.
This is not random. It can be traced back to deeper national issues. The hunger crisis, unemployment, greed, and corruption have created conditions where organized crime flourishes. It directly reflects how the country is being managed.
What is more concerning is that the majority of schools in South Africa have no meaningful protection. About 99.89 percent have never had a proper, independent risk assessment conducted. They lack adequate security. They do not understand what real security means in a modern world. A few schools have attempted assessments, but the truth remains. Most are unprepared. This is a serious problem. We are talking about children. They are the most vulnerable group in our society. In most countries, school safety is treated as a national priority. In South Africa, it is not even on the table.
Even if the government claims to be improving school safety, the reality is they continue to use outdated strategies.
People have repeated the same security methods that have failed for the past 60 years. History has already shown they do not work.
If you do not understand the risks, and you do not actively work to address them, then there will always be a gap in your security. This is not just about schools. It applies across all sectors. But right now, the focus is on schools. A proper risk assessment serves three main purposes. It educates school management and staff about security, crime, and risk. It identifies the actual risks the school faces and explains them in detail. And it presents practical, risk-specific solutions, explaining how each one will address the risks.
An assessment must be done externally.
Independence is not optional. It is essential. A security company, a management agent, or internal staff cannot provide an objective risk assessment. It is like asking a student to mark their own exam. One cannot do it properly without independence.
Every school should have a risk assessment.
The school’s management is responsible for making this happen. But parents share that responsibility. They must demand that schools protect their children. They must ask if an independent security risk assessment has been done.
This document is as important as a health and safety plan or a disaster plan. It is separate, but just as critical. The focus is physical security. A well-designed security system, especially one with a functional CCTV setup, plays two roles. First, it helps prevent crime by alerting staff ahead of time and recording incidents. Second, it provides accurate evidence. That protects both children and teachers.
Cameras, when correctly installed, are a powerful protective tool.
But they must work. Principals, teachers, and management must understand that incidents happen. Parents get upset. Having working cameras is part of protecting everyone.
Crime prevention goes beyond outside threats. Schools must also address internal problems such as bullying, assault, and sexual misconduct.These issues are real. Schools must treat both internal and external threats with equal seriousness and prepare accordingly.
There are not many people qualified to perform a proper, independent risk assessment. Security companies and management companies are not suitable for this task. We are not a risk management company. We are a risk assessment company. What we do is investigate the risks and provide real solutions.
If your school completed an assessment more than three years ago, you should now arrange a second assessment.
We refer to this as the 70-30 risk assessment. It adds to your original report. In this model, 70 percent of the focus is on policies, procedures, and management structure. The remaining 30 percent revisits the original risks, updates the findings, and integrates new threats and available technologies.
This is not a task to postpone. If something happens, and it will, parents will ask questions. What did the school do to protect the children? The principal and management must be ready with a real answer. A risk assessment provides that answer. The report itself will either be the answer, or it will contain the supporting information that allows the school to respond properly. The risk assessment also serves as a security plan for the future. It helps with budgeting. It provides clarity when working with parent committees. It becomes the reference point for all security matters.
The risk assessment is not a blame game.
It is a process that protects the school from crime. When mafias start targeting schools, the question should be, where is your security system? Do you have the tools to report and respond? A good risk assessment outlines the relevant policies. It explains how to deal with the police and how to manage your security data. But none of that happens unless the risks are first identified and understood.
To summarize,
schools are responsible for protecting children. You must have a proper independent security risk assessment in place. If you have only now realized that Mafia-style crime targets schools, you have already fallen behind. The responsibility lies with you.
Parents, you are equally responsible. Ensure your children attend schools that actively implement security, not just talk about it.
Please Note when we talk about “schools,” the term includes all educational properties such as universities, colleges, preschools, and similar institutions.
Disclaimer: Images Generated by ChatGPT.
Article written by Andre Mundell.