- Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi wants an investigation into violence in schools following three separate incidents in the province in the same week.
- On Thursday, a pupil from Anchor Comprehensive High School allegedly stabbed a pupil from Emadwaleni Secondary School in Orlando West.
- On Monday, separate fights at Dinwiddie High School in Germiston and Letsibogo Secondary School in Meadowlands were caught on camera.
Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi has called for investigations into ill-discipline and violence at schools following a stabbing at one school and videos of fights at two others in the same week.
In a statement on Thursday, the Gauteng Department of Education said it had received several reports recently of violence perpetrated by pupils.
"First of all, I need to make it abundantly clear that our schools can never be sites of violent conduct, assaults or bullying. Violence has no place at our schools, and we call on school management to work with parents and the department to ensure we bring these acts of ill-discipline and misconduct to a swift end," Lesufi said.
On Thursday, a Grade 11 pupil from Anchor Comprehensive High School allegedly stabbed a Grade 12 pupil from Emadwaleni Secondary School in Orlando West.
"Reasons for the violent act are still unknown, and a case has been opened with the SAPS. The Gauteng education department is sending psycho-social support to the school to assist all those affected by the stabbing incident.
"The Grade 11 pupil has been suspended with immediate effect, pending a disciplinary process in due course," the department said.There needs to be a societal shift in the definition of bullying to accurately address it in schools, says advocacy manager at child rights organisation Women and Men Against Child Abuse, Luke Lamprecht. | @Lwandi_N https://t.co/vcvTAFGa5a
— News24 (@News24) April 15, 2021
In another incident that surfaced via a video shared on social media, pupils from Dinwiddie High School in Germiston can be seen fighting in the school's toilets.
Suspension
The department said the incident happened on Monday and the school had since placed one pupil on precautionary suspension.
"The learner will face a disciplinary hearing by the school governing body on 20 April 2021. Meanwhile, other learners at the school will be receiving psycho-social support while the school has initiated several measures to curb similar future incidents, including undertaking an advocacy campaign to educate the learners on bullying, assault and related offences," it added.
Also on Monday, an alleged bullying incident caught on camera took place at Letsibogo Secondary School in Meadowlands, where a group of pupils can be seen fighting with one another.
One pupil was suspended, and the others were sent for counselling.
"Our schools should be the centres of excellence, not sites of violence and other anti-social behaviour. We call on parents to play their role and talk to their children as well about ill-discipline and violence as this is a societal challenge," said Lesufi.