Gauteng Education Department welcomes arrest of feeding scheme thieves

JOHANNESBURG - The Gauteng Education Department has welcomed the arrest of two suspects found with items from the school feeding programme in Minerva Secondary School in Alex, north of Johannesburg.

The 60-year-old man and a 36-year-old woman have been charged with possession of suspected stolen property.

They were caught by police with boxes of food supplies, which belonged to the school, over the weekend.

The department has acknowledged the recent delays with food deliveries to some schools since the appointment of new service providers

Spokesperson Seteve Mabona says that while that situation has been rectified, they condemn the recent criminal acts conducted by the two suspects.

They are expected to appear before the Alexandra Magistrates Court in Johannesburg on Monday.

"MEC is concerned by the criminal activities that are happening in and around our schools, and especially people who are going to steal food from our schools. He did condemn such criminal activities and encouraged members of the community to always report to the police any activity or of criminal nature that is happening in and around our schools to the police so that perpetrators can be arrested."