Africa-Press – Eswatini. Three schools were torched on Sunday night by unknown arsonists.
The schools that were torched were Nkiliji, Mcozini and Malindza high schools, which are situated in the Manzini and Lubombo regions respectively. When narrating the sequence of events leading to the arson attack at Nkiliji High School, Johannes Maziya, the security guard who was on duty on the night of the attack at the school, relayed that at exactly 1am, he stepped out of the guard house to conduct routine check-ups, when all of a sudden, he came across three men who were wearing balaclavas.
“Soon after noticing the men, I quickly ran back to the guard house and locked myself inside, however the men demanded that I should step out, failing which, they would torch the guard house. The men began to pelt the windows of the guard house with stones and I was left with no choice but to adhere to their directive and stepped out,” he said.
Maziya stated that after coming out of the guardhouse, the men who were armed with a pistol, forced him to walk ahead of them as they went straight to the deputy head teacher’s office to torch it by throwing a petrol bomb through the window, while pointing him with the gun and threatening to shoot him in the event he refused to corporate with them.
He pointed out that after torching the deputy head teacher’s office, they then went to the staff room, where they also threw a petrol bomb through the window, which instigated a blaze which reduced stationery and furniture into ashes.
Maziya further stated that one of the female teachers who resided at the teachers quarters situated a stone’s throw away from the staff room, tried to raise an alarm, which was when the arsonists fired two gunshots in the air, while also threatening to end her life if she persisted to raise the alarm.
Maziya said after torching the school, the arsonists then inscribed derogatory statements on the schools walls and also threatened to come back to the school to cause more damage.
He pointed out that thereafter, they instructed him to open the gate as they vacated the school premises, given that they had jumped over the fence when they gained entry to the school. He was then able to contact the authorities of the school, who came and assessed the damage before contacting the police.
At Mcozini High School, five arsonists who were also reportedly wearing balaclavas, were said to have invaded the school in the early hours of Monday and burnt the head teacher’s office, however, security guards were prompt to put out the fire before it went out of control.
Arsonists According to the vice chairperson of the school committee, Steven Mngometulu, the arsonists targeted the principal’s office which was spared during a recent arson attack. He stated that the furniture including desks, chairs and books were destroyed by the fire at the principal’s office.
Mngometulu further stated that the collections of trophies which the school had won in various competitions were also annihilated by the fire as they were kept at the principal’s office.
The arsonist are said to have also attacked Malindza High School at around 4am, where they torched the staff room. According to the principal of the school, Thulasizwe Zwane, the security guard was patrolling on one portion of the school when the arsonists struck.
Zwane said the security guard was attracted by a thick smoke that was emanating from the staff room and he quickly contacted the police, who then contacted Eswatini National Fire and Emergency personnel. While waiting for the arrival of the fire personnel, the security guard is reported to have gone back to the guard house, where he fetched two buckets filled with water, which he used to put out the fire.
According to Zwane, the security guard’s quick thinking saved the day as it contained the fire from spreading towards the other classroom blocks. Zwane said the damage incurred during the arson attack was close to E100 000 as furniture comprising of desks and chairs were reduced to ashes. Exam papers of internal classes namely form I, II and IV were reportedly burnt to ashes as well during the arson attack.
Several books including new ones were also said to have been razed by the fire, resulting in pupils attending internal classes being turned back home yesterday.
“The pupils and the teachers were greatly traumatised by the accident, hence we resolved to disperse them early and we only allowed the form III who will soon be sitting for their external examinations to remain behind,” he said. Mpaka High School was also attacked by the arsonists, however, they did not torch the school, but instead they left behind deregulatory statements which they engraved on the schools walls.
This was confirmed by the principal of the school, Sifiso Bhembe. Manzini Deputy Regional Education Officer Isaiah Kunene confirmed that two schools were torched by unknown arsonists in the Manzini region on Sunday night.
However, he refereed further comments to the Principal Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Education and Training Bheki Gama, stating that he was the rightful person to comment since he had already furnished him with a detailed report surrounding the arson attacks.
When Gama was contacted, he pointed out that he was held up in a meeting and therefore, he was not in a position to comment.
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