Two school boys have died after they were stabbed, allegedly by other pupils, at KwaMasakhane High School in KwaMakhutha, south of Durban.
Provincial police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Thulani Zwane told News24 on Tuesday that the pupils were stabbed and injured at the school premises at about 11:00 on Monday.
"They were taken to hospital, where they died on arrival," Zwane said.
Zwane said the motive for the stabbings was unknown at this stage, but that KwaMakhutha police were investigating two counts of murder.
"No arrest has been made at this stage," he said.
Provincial education department spokesperson Sicelo Khuzwayo said that, according to the information they had gathered at the school, two pupils had been involved in a fight outside of school over the weekend.
"It is suspected that, when they arrived at school, they continued with their fight which led to the stabbings," he said.
Sihle Mngadi, a Grade 11 pupil who was allegedly involved in the weekend fight was stabbed by another pupil, he said.
"Mangaliso Mbatha, a Grade 10 pupil, who had nothing to do with the weekend fight, tried to intervene and was also stabbed," said Khuzwayo.
"The matter is in the hands of the police, who are investigating the motive behind the stabbings," he said.
Khuzwayo said they were very concerned about the loss of lives of young people in such a horrific manner.
"We expected these pupils to achieve so much in their future. We wish to express our deepest condolences to the pupils' families, friends and schoolmates," he said.