MEC for Education, Fundile Gade, urged community members and parents to work together to ensure that learners don’t carry weapons when going to school.
This followed an incident when two learners, both aged 14, were fighting at Tsolo Residency Primary School in Tsolo, recently.
It is alleged that the fight led to a boy, Khanya Njemla (14), being fatally stabbed with a pair of scissors.
“We can search children when entering our school premises, but they hide their weapons in the grass or anywhere if they know that the security is tight at school.
“This shows that they are still not safe; that is why we urge parents to work with us to ensure that their children don’t carry weapons at all,” said Gade.
He said they would ensure that security is tight in schools.
He added that the department would ensure that an incident like this did not happen again.
Gade conveyed condolences to both families, stating that even the family of the perpetrator is feeling the pain because they did not send their child to commit crime. He added that they have sent officials to give support to both families.
Police spokesperson, Brigadier Tembinkosi Kinana, confirmed that police officers were investigating a murder case which occurred in this school.
According to Kinana, it is alleged that the victim came to the teacher running saying he had been stabbed with a pair of scissors by a schoolmate, who was also 14 years old.
“He was subsequently rushed to a nearby hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. Circumstances surrounding the incident are currently under investigation,” said Kinana.
He confirmed that the other minor had been placed in the care of his parents.
The Congress of South African Students (COSAS) national spokesperson, Schumile Plaatjie, said they were disappointed about what had happened.
“We put the blame on the department for this incident for not ensuring that the schools are a safe environment for their brothers and sisters.
“If there were security or any other alternative ways in our schools to search everyone before entering the premises, this would not have happened.
“It is the department’s recklessness that a mere primary school learner can access the class with a very dangerous weapon and would like to convey our deepest condolences to the family of the deceased and will ensure that the law will take its course,” said Plaatjie.
