By 
ALEXANDRA, GAUTENG — In an aggressive push to curb growing violence and substance abuse in local classrooms, Gauteng Department of Education MEC Lebogang Maile joined forces with the South African Police Service (SAPS) on Wednesday, 19 August 2026, for a sweeping, unannounced search and seizure operation across high schools in Alexandra.
The joint raid—targeting East Bank High School, Realogile High School, and Alexandra High School—yielded a staggering total of more than 109 prohibited and dangerous items. The operation is part of broader departmental efforts under the Safety in Schools Policy and school codes of conduct to rid learning environments of contraband, violent weapons, and illegal narcotics.
A Grim Inventory of Classroom Contraband
Law enforcement officers and education officials uncovered a troubling array of illicit materials and potential weapons hidden among learners’ belongings:
- East Bank High School: SAPS officers seized approximately 40 items. These included eight disposable vapes, traditional cigarettes, three suspected dagga joints, two cannabis grinders, and eight small plastic sachets containing a leafy green substance suspected to be dagga. Authorities also confiscated weapons and hazards, including two folding knives/multi-tools, three pairs of scissors, and four sharp glass shards.
- Realogile High School: More than 41 items were recovered, including seven disposable vapes, three pairs of scissors, and six glass or mirror shards. Officials also confiscated over 20 baked goods (muffins and cupcakes), which have been sent for testing to determine whether they are laced with illicit substances.
- Alexandra High School: Officers confiscated 28 items, including six sachets of suspected dagga, five disposable vapes, four matchboxes, two large pieces of broken glass, a folding multi-tool with a knife and pliers, a spanner, and an improvised metal tool.
Across all three institutions, disposable vapes, glass shards, matchboxes, and scissors ranked among the most frequently confiscated items. Overall, the search yielded 14 sachets of suspected dagga and three hand-rolled joints.
Education Head Warns Against Normalizing Schoolyard Hazards
Addressing media and staff following the operation, MEC Maile expressed alarm at the nature of the items seized, highlighting the physical danger posed to both educators and learners.
“The discovery of suspected drugs, knives, broken glass, scissors, and other potentially dangerous objects in our schools is deeply concerning. These items have absolutely no place in an environment intended for teaching and learning,” Maile stated.
The MEC emphasized that random, unannounced raids would remain a cornerstone of the province’s safety strategy. “These unannounced operations are necessary to protect learners and educators and ensure that our schools remain safe. We will continue supporting SAPS and other law enforcement agencies in conducting random searches because learners must understand that bringing drugs, weapons, and other prohibited items onto school premises will have consequences,” he added.
Call for Parental and Community Accountability
While policing plays an immediate role in clearing classrooms of immediate threats, Maile stressed that government enforcement alone cannot solve systemic social ills. Pointing out that schools act as a microcosm of the communities surrounding them, he urged parents to take an active role in screening their children before they leave home each morning.
“We urge parents to regularly check what their children are carrying to school. Finding suspected drugs, knives, and other dangerous items in learners’ possession should concern every parent and every member of society,” said Maile.
Next Steps and Disciplinary Actions
Following the operation, all confiscated substances suspected of being illegal drugs will undergo formal forensic testing. Learners caught with prohibited items face immediate disciplinary proceedings in accordance with school codes of conduct, while any acts involving criminal activity will be processed directly through SAPS.
The Gauteng Department of Education confirmed it will extend these SAPS-led unannounced searches to other high-risk schools across the province to address ongoing issues with gangsterism, weapon possession, and drug trafficking.
“Our schools are sacred spaces for education. We cannot allow drugs, weapons, violence, or criminal behaviour to rob learners of their constitutional right to education,” Maile concluded.
