PHILIPPI, Cape Town – 22 August 2022
ECD centers in Philippi are under fire with criminals targeting the safe spaces of children. An ECD principal was shot and critically injured when men opened fire inside the Rise and Shine ECD Centre in Philippi in full view of children aged 0 -5.
Two men walked into the center as one of the women living at the facility was entering the gate. The men said they were looking for a crèche for a 6 months old baby. The staff enquired where the baby and the mother was when one of the men responded, they were outside the gate and he was going to fetch them. The suspect returned with a third man who was armed with a gun.
The men started grabbing phones and removed the plasma TV from the wall when the distraught principal is said to have screamed, asking the men to leave when they opened fire. The principal who was shot in the face is in critical condition at the Groote Schuur Intensive Care Unit in Mowbray.
According to the ECD center staff, the children were cramped up against the sliding door crying and witnessing the incident. The men are said to have fled with the phones and TV in a black Mazda and an Avanza, police arrived at the scene 45mins after the incident.
SAEP deployed emergency protocols with social workers on the ground to support the victims. The initial report from social workers confirmed – “It was evident that there are children who are very traumatised , we had one parent informing us that their 3year old was continuously talking about what he saw and it was all he would narrate”
SAEP Spokesperson, Shane Everts “We strongly condemn the attacks on ECD Centres targeting vulnerable women and children. We appeal to Police Minister, Bheki Cele, and Cape Town Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith to urgently intervene and secure the safety of our woman and children in their schools and early childhood development centers”.
This is the second serious attack resulting in injury and trauma in a series of attacks targeting schools and ECD centers.
MEDIA CONTACTS
Mr Shane Everts, Head of Communications and Fundraising, South African Education Project (SAEP) 082 537 8721, shane@saep.org
Technical Education-related queries:
Mr Donavan Fullard, Chief Executive Officer, South African Education Project (SAEP) donavan@saep.org
MORE ABOUT SAEP
A multi-cohort program promoting access and better education outcomes among children and young adolescents. www.saep.org