Outcry over the stabbing of a six-year-old girl at an Umhlali school yestersday (October 13) has prompted a formal application calling for the teenage suspect to be denied bail and undergo a psychological assessment.

According to The North Coast Courier, the teenager was previously arrested on July 3 in connection with an alleged attempted bombing at a Ballito mall on March 29. He was released three days later when the matter was not enrolled due to insufficient evidence.

Rise Up Movement NPO founder Josha Daniel submitted a written application to the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, requesting that the state oppose bail and seek the suspect’s continued detention in the interests of public safety.

Daniel also called for a formal psychological assessment, placement in an appropriate secure facility and co-ordinated intervention.

“The Rise Up Movement NPO believes that incidents of this nature require more than a response to the immediate criminal allegations. Where there are verified indications of previous concerning behaviour, the relevant authorities must examine whether appropriate interventions were considered, implemented and monitored,” Daniel said.

Profiler warns of mass violence risks

When the Courier brought the failed bomb attempt to light in July, South Africa’s former top police profiler, Gerard Labuschagne, warned that the case bore the hallmarks of an attempted mass violence event.

He cautioned that an arrest alone would not necessarily eliminate the threat, as underlying grievances could remain or intensify. Punishment without addressing the causes of violent behaviour, he said, could increase the likelihood of further offending.

Telegram manifesto details Columbine link

Police sources allege that shortly before the alleged attempted bombing on March 29, a manifesto was circulated on Telegram containing threats against people associated with the school and others.

The document outlined grievances, ideology and alleged attack plans. It also referenced two earlier incidents: An alleged attempted stabbing of a girl at another local school in 2024 and the pepper-spraying of shoppers at a local mall three weeks before the alleged bombing attempt.

In the manifesto, the author expressed admiration for the perpetrators of the 1999 Columbine school massacre in the US.

A photograph obtained by the Courier following yesterday’s stabbing shows the suspect wearing black cargo pants and a black T-shirt bearing the word ‘wrath’ in red, resembling the shirt worn by one of the Columbine shooters.

Emergency response and trauma debriefing

The suspect, who previously attended the school, allegedly entered the premises at about 08:15 on Tuesday before making his way into a classroom and locking the door.

A bystander alerted to the danger reportedly kicked the door open. A six-year-old learner was stabbed, allgedly by the teenager before attempting to flee but was apprehended on the school grounds.

The girl suffered critical stab wounds, but she was reportedly in a stable condition after emergency surgery.

Items reportedly recovered at the scene included a large kitchen knife, cable ties, an improvised weapon, a tactical belt and a duffle bag containing camouflage clothing.

The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation arrived shortly after the arrest. Containers holding unidentified substances were also found, prompting the dispatch of the police bomb disposal unit.

The school principal declined to comment at the time of publication, saying staff were undergoing debriefing and receiving trauma counselling.

The Courier has withheld the identity of the suspect because he is a minor. South African law provides special protections for children accused of crimes, including restrictions on publishing information that could identify them. These protections apply regardless of the seriousness of the allegations.

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