Gang attacks, defilement cases plague secondary schools

Maun Police have addressed students at Tshwaragano Junior Secondary School in response to the alarming rise in youth delinquency across the township.

The visit followed disturbing reports of gang activity in junior secondary schools, where students from rival institutions are attacked without provocation.

The urgency of the matter took centre stage two weeks ago when traditional healer Gogo Mangwenyama-ka-Nyathi, popularly known as Hanani Tamukathe Nyathi, posted shocking videos and images on social media. She revealed her 16-year-old son had been mobbed and severely assaulted by more than 20 youths after attending a Saturday study session at a school in Letlhakane. The attackers reportedly used stones, metal objects, and other weapons.

Before addressing students at Tshwaragano, Maun Police Station Commander Superintendent Joseph Lepodise and his team visited other junior schools in the area, including Maitamo and Tsodilo. Their intervention was prompted by a troubling spike in defilement cases and student suspensions.

“We observed that many defilement cases originated from Tsodilo and Tshwaragano schools, so we knew action was necessary to ensure these young people are safe,” Lepodise said. “We identified the troubling behaviours and decided to speak directly to the students in the hopes of guiding them towards better choices and a brighter future.”

According to Lepodise, statistics paint a grim picture. Last year, Maun recorded a staggering 94 defilement cases. While still concerning, there has been a slight improvement this year, with 38 cases reported between January and July, down from 56 during the same period last year. Most victims are junior school students aged between 14 and 16.

Lepodise told The Midweek Sun that police are particularly alarmed by the emergence of gang groups formed primarily by youths who failed Form Three. These gangs frequently clash with rival groups from other schools, often lying in wait outside school gates to launch attacks after hours.

Fortunately, police have managed to intervene in some instances before serious injuries occurred.

Superintendent Lepodise urged parents to take greater responsibility for their children’s behaviour.

Mandipa Siku, a mother and PTA member at Maitamo Junior School, applauded the police’s efforts but shared her own painful experience. Her son was brutally attacked last year by a gang of students

and outsiders after school at Maitamo. The assault left him with bruises and deep emotional trauma. Sadly, he endured long delays before receiving medical treatment at the hospital.

Following the attack, Siku transferred her son to a private school outside Maun. “I vowed never to send my child to a government school again because these junior schools have become toxic environments,” she said.

She added that such assaults cause lasting trauma, affecting a child’s mental health and academic performance, and often forcing parents to pay for counselling and therapy.