Pupil stabbed inside the class

A 17-year-old pupil at Tshinavhe High at Vyeboom in the Vuwani area was allegedly stabbed with a knife inside the classroom by a fellow learner last Thursday.

According to several parents, many schools in the province still do not have any security, causing incidents of violence at schools to increase.

Dakalo Mudau, a Grade 10 pupil, was allegedly stabbed and injured by a fellow pupil while trying to break up a fight between a classmate and the suspect.

Dakalo’s father, Moses Mudau, said he was shocked to hear his son had been stabbed inside the class. He added that the school must be responsible for the safety of the children and that the pupils must be safe on the school premises.

"How is it possible that learners carry weapons to school without anyone knowing it? We blame the school for not protecting the pupils against dangers. We believe that learners must be searched before entering the premises of the school to see if there is no one with weapons. When we send children to school, we entrust them with the safety of our children, but they failed us," Mudau said.

He is worried that, since the incident, neither the school management nor the SGB had come to him to explain what had happened at the school.

“As a department we condemn any act of violence in our schools, which are centres of teaching and learning, not centres of violence. We want justice to take its full course against the pupil who has committed crime inside the school premises,” said the department’s spokesperson, Mr Sam Makondo.

The police spokesperson Brig Motlafela Mojapelo said he condemned violence and the carrying of sharp objects at schools. According to him, a school is a place to learn and not to carry weapons. “We call upon parents and guardians to join hands with the police and educators, to ensure that schools remain a safe environment at all times,” said Mojapelo.

The 21-year-old suspect, Ishmael Ndou, has since been arrested and appeared in the Vuwani Magistrate’s Court on Monday. He has been charged with attempted murder and was denied bail. The case was postponed to 5 March for a formal bail application.

Date:15 February 2020

By: Kaizer Nengovhela

Kaizer Nengovhela started writing stories for Limpopo Mirror in 2000. Prior to that he had a five year stint at Phala-Phala FM as sports presenter. In 2005 Kaizer received an award from the province's premier as Best Sports Presenter. The same year he was also nominated as Best Sports Reporter by the Makhado Municipality. Kaizer was awarded the Mathatha Tsedu award in 2014.

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