The Gauteng Department of Education and police are investigating incidents of violence between learners at a Mamelodi, Tshwane, school.

This after chaos erupted at Nellmapius Secondary School on Wednesday morning when parents discussed a stabbing incident involving two learners.

According to police spokesperson Captain Johan van Dyk, police are investigating at least one case of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Van Dyk confirmed to Pretoria Record that a 17-year-old was stabbed with a knife by a schoolmate on Monday.

He says the victim’s grandmother reported the incident, which happened after school, to police.

“According to the grandmother, when she returned home from work on Monday, she discovered her grandson had been stabbed with a knife,” Van Dyk says.

“The victim was taken to hospital for treatment and released the same day. No arrests have been made.”

The victim’s grandmother is among the families who approached the school on Wednesday for answers.

Parents raised multiple concerns, including issues of alleged racial tension and drug use.

Some parents, including the father of another learner who allegedly was a stabbing victim, told Pretoria Record bullying is allegedly prevalent at the school.

The department, however, says the issues at the school stem from larger tensions within the community.

Departmental spokesperson Steve Mabona says they are aware of the incident at Nellmapius Secondary School.

“Information at our disposal revealed that the conflict began in the community on Saturday, March 1. Unfortunately, earlier this week, the tension [spilled into] the school environment.”

Mabona says parents approached the school on Wednesday. He says no learners were injured on the school premises as a result of the tension and learners were sent home for their safety.

A meeting with parents of the affected learners was scheduled for today. The outcome of the meeting is not yet known.

“Our psycho-social support team was dispatched to the school to provide the necessary support.”

Police also confirmed they are monitoring the school to ensure peace and stability.

Mabona says schools are a ‘microcosm of society and what generally occurs in our society finds expression in our schools’.

“We experience societal ills occurring within our school environment, which is evident in learner ill-discipline, learner-to-learner violence, learner-to-educator violence, bullying, gangsterism, drugs and substance abuse, teenage pregnancy and underage sex.”

The department has embarked on an awareness campaign to mobilise communities and school stakeholders through the Quality Teaching and Learning Campaign.

“This is to ensure that quality teaching and learning take place in a conducive environment, where all role players subscribe to the key deliverables.”

The department condemned any act of misconduct which seeks to undermine the dignity of learning institutions.

“Schools are urged to enforce their codes of conduct to deal with disciplinary matters and we appeal to parents to assist in enforcing discipline in and outside the school environment.”

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