- A concerned parent from Samora Machel, Philippi is worried about the escalating crime in local schools.
- A learner at Zisukhanyo Secondary School was allegedly stabbed to death by another learner inside the school premises on Thursday 16 November.
- Bronagh Hammond, the WCED spokesperson, confirmed the incident and said that a Grade 11 learner succumbed to his injuries after being stabbed in the neck by a Grade 10 learner.
A concerned parent from Samora Machel, Philippi is worried about the escalating crime in local schools.
The parent, who refused to mention her name for fear of harassment, said on Thursday 16 November a learner at Zisukhanyo Secondary School was allegedly stabbed to death by another learner inside the school premises. She stated that it was not a good thing to be seen by other learners.
She questioned how the weapons entered the school premises. “There is a problem of gangsterism in Samora. These children are fighting in public sometimes. I don’t really know what happened. However, according to the information that is circulating, it seems these learners started their fight on Wednesday 15 November. I don’t know what they were fighting about. One learner stabbed the other with a pair of scissors in the cheek. The following day, the one that was stabbed came to school with a knife and stabbed the other learner in the abdomen,” she said.
The parent urged the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) to strengthen security at the schools.
Bronagh Hammond, the WCED spokesperson, confirmed the incident. She said that last week a Grade 11 learner succumbed to his injuries after being stabbed in the neck by a Grade 10 learner.
“The incident followed another incident the previous day, in which the Grade 11 learner had allegedly stabbed the Grade 10 learner in the cheek after school in the community. It is unclear what the fight was about and the motive for this incident.
“Unfortunately, the Grade 10 learner approached the Grade 11 learner early in the morning and after a few words were said, he took out a knife (allegedly) and stabbed him in the neck,” said Hammond.
She said paramedics were called in but unfortunately, the learner passed away.
Hammond said the department immediately sent officials to the school to provide support and counselling.
She said additional security to the school. “The learner has not returned to school. Our condolences to the family, friends and the school community. This is a tragic case all around, with one child fatally wounded and another child to face criminal charges,” she concluded.
Samora Machel Police spokesperson Const Siviwe Gaqa said a 17-year-old learner was stabbed in the cheek by a 19-year-old learner inside the school premises.
According to Gaqa, the victim was rushed to the clinic for treatment.
“When we asked the victim what happened, he said he was bullied by the 19-year-old learner.
“We discovered that on the following day, the same learner who was stabbed came to school carrying a knife. Again, the perpetrator went to the victim and started provoking him. The 17-year-old took out a knife and stabbed him to death,” said Gaqa.
The learner appeared in the Athlone Magistrate’s Court on Friday 17 November, and was due to appear again yesterday (22 November). He is currently in the juvenile section at Pollsmor prison.