Staff Reporter.
Matome Chiloane, the MEC for Education for Gauteng, expressed his profound sadness over the stabbing of Grade 8 learner from at Oakdale Secondary School Ennerdale, south of Johannesburg.
The fight broke out on Wednesday morning before the start of classes. The 15-year-old Grade 8 learner at the school was stabbed to death outside the school premises.
A Grade 10 pupil was also injured and is currently in hospital.
The department alleges that the fight and stabbing were influenced by gangsterism among learners from various schools in the area.
The South African Police Service (Saps) is investigating the matter.
Chiloane was accompanied by provincial department spokesperson Steve Mabona, visited the school on Friday.
Community members of Ennerdale staged demonstrations outside the school as Chiloane arrived, demanding that Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga come to the area.
Chiloane urged parents to work closely with schools to prevent incidents of violence, saying discipline is learned at home.
“So what we are doing here today, we are going to secure the school. We intend to put quite a number of security guards to patrol during the day and at night.
“We are using a new method of using dogs now because dogs are quicker, so when there is a problem, they can alert us.”
In early 2023, it was reported that the safety of pupils and teachers had become a concern in schools nationwide. Over the last few years, there has been an alarming rise in death tolls and violent attacks on teachers and learners.
In 2022, the South African Police Services released crime stats that showed that 19 murders had been committed at educational facilities across the country.
The MEC further indicated that the department would address the issue of an inadequate number of teachers.
“We are dealing with it. We will be dispatching mobile [schools] to deal with the pressure. Because we are finalising a satellite school in Lawley, we will be removing quite some kids from this school and other schools that we have identified into that satellite school to ease the pressure here.”
Compiled by Lehlohonolo Lehana.