THE expressions on the faces of a group of street sweepers in Kagiso, near Krugersdorp, said it all. They looked disgusted over three boys sipping ciders on their way to high school.

"Oh my God! They are drinking? Whose children are these?" asked a shocked worker.

Two of the boys attend Madiba Combined School, while the third is a a pupil at Mandisa Shiceka Secondary. Both schools are in Kagiso.

Teachers and the principal at Madiba had already assembled to welcome new pupils when the three strolled in the streets, not caring about what anyone said.

Madiba deputy principal Salthiel Dijoe said he could see on the camera who two of the boys who attended his school were.

"We will identify who they are and deal with them as soon as possible. This is unacceptable," he said.

The two boys were nowhere near the school gates when Sowetan visited the premises.

• Clara Monnakgotla, of the South African National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence in Soweto, said under-age drinking and drug use was rife, especially among school pupils.

She said most of those referred to her offices were aggressive and that their health had deteriorated.

"They drink excessively through binge drinking, especially during parties," she said.

Monnakgotla said most children drank because they saw their parents doing it.

She said pupils used their pocket money, which was sometimes too much, to buy alcohol and drugs such as dagga "because they are easily available" to them.

• DA Gauteng spokesperson on education Khume Ramulifho said: "It is mainly a matter of discipline. School management is not doing what they are supposed to do".

"It is cause for concern as it results in poor results. Parents are also supposed to take ownership and not leave discipline to teachers."

• Department of Education spokesperson Charles Phahlane said every school had a disciplinary code and that the disciplinary process would also involve parents.

"If it is found that a tavern sells alcohol to children, we would call the Department of Community Safety to deal with the owner," he said.

• Meanwhile, nearby Kagiso Secondary School suffered a blow on Tuesday after three thugs robbed the cashiers of an undisclosed amount of cash.

"They came in here during the day and pulled out guns, demanding money. There was nothing we could do as they cleaned us out," said a teacher at the school. Police in Kagiso said they were investigating the robbery.
 

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