KEY POINTS
- Cyberlab theft threatens the digital future of rural schoolchildren.
- Police response delay worsens trust in rural school safety.
- DA urges action and accountability in cyberlab theft incident.
In rural KwaZulu-Natal, thieves came into Sibongumbomvu Combined School and took 20 laptops that had just been donated to the school’s new cyberlab.
Police delay after cyberlab theft frustrates rural communities
In a joint statement released Wednesday morning, Sakhile Mngadi and Edwin Macrae Bath, both officials with the Democratic Alliance, denounced the heist.
Only a few weeks after the Department of Communications donated the cyberlab on April 15, the break-in happened early Tuesday.
According to the Iol, suspects damaged infrastructure and took computers and other IT equipment.
The statement said, “This cyberlab was more than just equipment—it provided rural learners with an essential link to digital skills and contemporary opportunities.”
The Democratic Alliance blasted the police for their tardy response when they failed to show up at the school by Wednesday morning.
The statement went on to say, “This shameful delay sends a chilling message—rural communities can be targeted without fear of law enforcement consequences.”
The KZN Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi received a formal letter from the DA requesting that a task team be deployed right away.
Additionally, they emphasized the necessity of community cooperation and visible policing to protect schools, particularly in rural areas that are at risk.
 DA demands swift justice over cyberlab theft in KZN
The DA demanded accountability from KZN Education MEC Sipho Hlomuka regarding the break-in in a related parliamentary investigation.
The party requested information about cyberlab risk assessments, school security infrastructure, and current safeguards for electronic devices.
Additionally, they asked for statistics on robotics and coding rollouts since January 2023 as well as any reported theft or vandalism incidents.
Additional demands included preparations for emergency funding, equipment replacement, and SAPS collaborations for high-risk school regions.
The statement said, “This isn’t just stolen property—it’s a stolen future for rural learners who depend on digital access.”
Since silence shields criminals and jeopardizes children’s educational progress, the DA urged the local community to report suspected.
They claimed that in order to ensure the safety of education, society and the government must work together and actively include citizens rather than relying solely on official intervention.
Hilton police are looking into a different case in which devices, phones, and laptops were taken during a break-in at another school.
According to Lieutenant Colonel Paul Magwaza, a spokesman for the KZN police, the Hilton crime took place between May 13 and May 14.
