Gauteng police crack down on underage gambling at schools
Gauteng SAPS tackles gambling and bullying by replacing dice with strategy and marimbas in bold intervention at Solomon Mahlangu Freedom School.
South Africa.- In a striking move to disrupt rising gambling in schools, Gauteng police swapped handcuffs and sirens for chess boards and marimbas (musical instrument) during a community intervention at Solomon Mahlangu Freedom School in Mamelodi.
The initiative, led by Gauteng SAPS Commissioner Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni, forms part of a broader campaign to curb gambling, bullying, and violence among learners by engaging them in purposeful and mentally stimulating activities.
Mthombeni handed over marimba instruments and chess boards to the school, emphasising their value in promoting creative thinking, discipline and focus.
Learners gamble in front of police
But the urgency of the mission hit home when learners were caught gambling in class, while the police were present.
“You are gambling, and you know this is a crime. We are having so many problems in terms of this type of activity in schools,” Mthombeni said, according to IOL.
“It is not a good thing to partake in this gambling because at the end of the day, you will end up fighting.”
Mthombeni believes chess is more than a game, it’s a blueprint for life.
“Chess teaches us to set up goals and the importance of planning… every decision we make, there will be a consequence for the future,” he added.
Brigadier Kervin Solomons of Mamelodi West echoed this sentiment, stating: “Today’s event is proof of philosophy in action. We are not reacting to crime. We are interrupting the cycle of crime.”
The school’s governing body member, Thalitha Mboweni, acknowledged ongoing issues such as bullying and gambling.
“We discipline learners involved in criminal activities to prevent such behaviour from spreading to others,” she said.
With the sound of marimbas replacing chaos and chess pieces replacing playing cards, the police are making their move, one strategic step at a time.
