By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
A 17-year-old King Edward VII School pupil was stabbed to death outside the Madison Avenue nightclub on Wessel Road in Rivonia, Johannesburg, on Saturday night.
He was declared dead on the scene by paramedics.
“Paramedics arrived on the scene at 22:45 … to find the teenager lying in the street with a fatal stab wound to the chest.
“He, unfortunately, showed no signs of life and was declared dead on arrival,” said ER24 spokesperson Russel Meiring.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Mavela Masondo said the suspect was immediately taken into custody.
“Police were called to a scene at Wessels Road. On arrival, they found paramedics who had just certified a 17-year-old … dead after he was found with a stab wound,” added Masondo.
“Witnesses pointed [out] the suspect at the scene. He was arrested and later charged with murder.”
He said the motive for the murder was still unclear and investigations were underway.
Meanwhile the Marketing and events manager at Madison Avenue, Kim Grieve, said no underage people are allowed to enter the place.
Grieve said: We do not want anyone underage at our venue. But, with the latest technology, fake IDs are increasingly difficult to identify. We have urgently asked the police for assistance to assess ways to detect fake IDs. We believe our security guards acted correctly and promptly. The venue and parking lot are adequately secured.
She continued: “We will immediately provide trained security guards on the roads surrounding the venue. We will add more guards and car patrols to secure areas where this tragedy occurred.”
Grieve refused to comment on allegations that bouncers reacted late to the fatal incident – and that it took an hour for an ambulance to arrive at the scene.
The suspect is believed to be 18 years old and is expected to appear in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court on Monday.