CCTV Roll-Out Targets Crime in Mt Pleasant Schools

By Talent Chimutambgi, Southerton Business Times Staff Writer

HARARE: Fifteen schools in Mt Pleasant Constituency are set to benefit from an ongoing Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) camera installation programme aimed at curbing a surge in robberies targeting schools and residential areas in the constituency.

The programme, spearheaded by Zanu PF Member of Parliament Cde George Mashavave, officially commenced over the weekend, with Hallingbury Primary School becoming the first beneficiary after receiving a consignment of CCTV cameras and related equipment. The intervention comes at a time when robbers are reportedly wreaking havoc in Mabelreign and other low-density suburbs in Harare, with schools increasingly becoming targets of criminal activities.

Speaking during the handover ceremony, Cde Mashavave said the installation of surveillance cameras was a necessary step towards safeguarding learning institutions and protecting school property.

“Robbers have been wreaking havoc in the constituency, particularly targeting schools. These cameras are a deterrent measure which can cause criminals to think twice before engaging in unlawful activities,” he said.

The legislator said all 15 schools in Mt Pleasant Constituency had been incorporated into the project and would gradually receive the installations as part of a broader security enhancement initiative. The development follows a tragic incident that recently shook the community after a 28-year-old security guard at Hallingbury Primary School was allegedly murdered by robbers who are still at large.

Residents described the incident as a dark cloud that befell the school and the wider community, amid growing concerns over escalating criminal activities in the area. Cde Mashavave condemned the brutal attack, describing it as shocking and intolerable.

“The attack on the young security guard is deeply disturbing. Such acts of violence have no place in our society and law enforcement agents must bring the perpetrators to book,” he said.

He added that CCTV systems would also strengthen investigations by enabling law enforcement authorities to easily identify suspects and gather evidence. Apart from the security equipment, Hallingbury Primary School also received stationery from the legislator ahead of the forthcoming school's opening.

Meanwhile, Cde Mashavave revealed that another programme aimed at creating websites for all schools within the constituency was underway as part of efforts to modernise educational institutions and embrace digital transformation. He said the initiative was in line with the digitalisation drive being championed by President Emmerson Mnangagwa and reflected the country’s broader vision of achieving an empowered and prosperous upper middle-income economy by 2030.

“There is need for our schools to move with current global digital trends. Technology is now central to education, communication and development, and our schools should not be left behind,” said Cde Mashavave.

Residents and school authorities have since welcomed the initiative, describing it as timely and progressive in addressing both security and technological gaps within schools. Cde Mashavave is among legislators whose presence in their constituencies continues to be felt through various community development initiatives aimed at improving the welfare of residents and modernising public institutions.

Mt Pleasant schools CCTV installation