INANDA, KwaZulu-Natal — A tragic robbery at Inanda Comprehensive High School has left security guard Fano Zulu dead, intensifying urgent concerns over school safety in KwaZulu-Natal and prompting Education MEC Sipho Hlomuka to visit the campus to address the escalating crisis.
According to official reports, the incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday morning when a group of five robbers infiltrated the school premises. The assailants overpowered and disarmed four on-duty security guards, tied them up, and forced them into a strong room. During the attack, Zulu was fatally shot. The robbers then ransacked the school’s staff room, making off with valuable technical equipment essential for teaching and learning.
Mlungisi Mtshali, spokesperson for the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education, confirmed the devastating loss and expressed deep concern over the calculated nature of these attacks. Mtshali noted that criminals are increasingly conducting assessments of school security structures, bringing sufficient numbers to deliberately overpower existing guards. In response, the department is actively collaborating with the South African Police Service (SAPS) and local community stakeholders to apprehend the suspects and implement robust preventative measures.
This devastating event is part of a disturbing pattern, marking multiple violent incidents at KZN schools within a recent 10-day period. Recent tragedies include the targeted shooting of a Grade 10 learner at Ndengezi Intermediate School, a separate violent incident at a high school in Ladysmith, and the shooting of three Grade 12 learners in the Josini area.
During his visit to the school, MEC Sipho Hlomuka met with district officials, the School Governing Body (SGB), and the grieving family of the deceased. While no arrests have been made yet, Hlomuka emphasized that safeguarding educational facilities is a collective societal responsibility.
“Education is a societal matter which needs everyone. These schools are not for government; they are for the people,” Hlomuka stated, appealing directly to community members to unite in protecting local schools and the investments made in them.
He also praised the resilience of educators who continue to teach under increasingly difficult conditions. Highlighting the school’s proud academic legacy, Hlomuka noted that Inanda Newtown Comprehensive High School has consistently produced engineers, accountants, and nurses, ranking first nationally in technical mathematics in 2019 and second in the country in 2024.
With the National Senior Certificate (NSC) final examinations scheduled to begin on October 13, officials are urging heightened vigilance. The department is calling on all community members to rally together to safeguard learners, educators, and school infrastructure during this critical academic period.
