Violence in schools takes centre stage as Gauteng MEC Matome Chiloane visits a Sebokeng high school in the Vaal tomorrow after the death of a pupil following two separate incidents of stabbing last week.
Teaching and learning were interrupted on Friday at Dinokaneng Secondary School in Westside Park following the fatal stabbing of a grade 10 boy by another pupil on Thursday outside the school’s premises.
The victim was declared dead on arrival at Sebokeng hospital.
The incident follows another stabbing the previous day involving a grade 11 pupil from the same school in what is believed to have been a fight related to gangsterism in the area.
The grade 11 pupil was stabbed late at night on February 22 at the local sports grounds.
Gauteng education spokesperson Steve Mabona said the department’s psychosocial support team will be dispatched to the school to provide trauma support and counselling to pupils and families of the pupils involved in the stabbings.
The latest crime statistics released by Police Minister Bheki Cele last week show an increase of 10.1% in murders during the last quarter of last year.
A total of 7 555 murders were committed in South Africa from October to December last year.
Though the stats show a decrease in the number of murders committed in educational institutions with 12 recorded during October to December, compared to 19 in the quarter before, they do not paint the full picture of violence among pupils given the different places where these killings occur.
A total of 21 attempted murders were committed in school premises in the last quarter of last year compared to 22 in the previous quarter, while assault with intent do to grievous bodily harm on school premises went down from 258 cases in the July to September period to 201 in October to December.
Ahead of his visit to the school, Chilaone said: “We mourn the untimely death of one of our learners, indeed we are deeply hurt and concerned by the occurrence of gangsterism which shortens the lives of our learners and jeopardises their future.
“We wish to extend our sincerest condolences to the family and school community at large.”
These incidents follow another fatal stabbing of a grade 10 pupil in Brakpan, East Rand during an after-school fight earlier his month.
For more education news from Sunday World, click here.
Follow @SundayWorldZA on Twitter and @sundayworldza on Instagram, or like our Facebook Page, Sunday World, by clicking here for the latest breaking news in South Africa. To Subscribe to Sunday World, click here
