Sne Masuku

Sne Masuku

The month-long chaos surrounding the installation of CCTV cameras in classrooms at the Roseland Primary School has finally come to an end.

A security company, acting on instructions of the provincial education department, removed the cameras from the classrooms yesterday.

Teachers at the school downed tools about a month ago in protest against the use of cameras in their classrooms.

Education department head Cassius Lubisi on Wednesday gave principal, S'thembiso Lushozi until 2pm yesterday to remove all the cameras from the classrooms.

The moment the cameras were removed the teachers went back to the classrooms.

Lushozi said he acted on the request of the department.

"I received a letter directing me to remove the cameras," Lushozi said. "As the principal I do not make decisions but my duty is to implement decisions taken by parents and school governing body or the department."

Earlier Lushozi had said the parents and school governing body had decided to install the cameras in the classrooms because they were aware of the teachers and pupils' fear of crime in the area.

"The school is situated in an area crawling with notorious criminals," he said.

"The decision to install cameras was taken to ensure the safety of pupils, teachers and school property."