JOHANNESBURG - Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane says criminals are heartless.
He was visiting a school in Soweto's Protea Glen where a parent was shot dead on Tuesday afternoon.
Eugene Tshililo reportedly tried to stop a hijacking outside the Faranani Primary School.
Chiloane wants police to protect schools.
"What we have here is criminals being emboldened. And that requires us as a community to begin and fight back," he said.
"This is a sign that lawlessness has crept in. The fact that they could come to a school and do what they've done is a demonstration that they're heartless.
"We want to collaborate with community safety so that it deploys police to all our schools."
Chiloane said no arrests have yet been made.
Tshililo's family described him as being a kind and quiet person.
His family says his 7-year-old son is extremely traumatised.