The fatal attack by a former teacher at Ntabankulu Primary School has claimed a third teacher, leaving families and pupils devastated.
The shooting at Ntabankulu Primary School in the Eastern Cape has now claimed the lives of three teachers as the education sector mourns the tragedy.
The South African Police Service (Saps) in the Eastern Cape provided an update on the victims of the tragic shooting at the school on Thursday.
The school’s former deputy principal forcibly gained entry to the premises by cutting through the perimeter fence and opened fire on teachers in the staff room around lunchtime.
All three teachers shot have died
The suspect fired shots at three teachers before taking his own life. Two teachers died shortly after the shooting.
“It is with deep sorrow that we confirm the passing of the third educator. She sadly succumbed to her injuries last night while being transported by ambulance to Mthatha Hospital,” police spokesperson Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana said.
“The ambulance personnel diverted to Madzikane Hospital after she experienced medical complications where she was declared deceased by the attending doctor.”
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The Saps’ update means that all three teachers shot in the attack are dead All the victims were women teachers.
“The names of the deceased will be released once all next-of-kin notifications have been formally completed,” Gantana said.
The suspect was also declared dead at the scene.
Saps investigates three murders, inquest docket opened
The police are now investigating a case of three counts of murder and an inquest docket.
“The Saps extends its most heartfelt and sincere condolences to the families, friends, colleagues and the entire school community devastated by this profound loss,” Gantana said.
“The investigation into the full circumstances continues.”
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The Eastern Cape department of education said the suspect was dismissed in 2023 following a disciplinary process linked to allegations of sexual misconduct involving pupils.
He was also facing criminal charges on the same matter at the Mthatha Regional Court.
“The school had obtained a court interdict against this former employee due to persistent threats and intimidation of staff, including sporadic incidents of gunfire in the vicinity of the school,” the department said in a statement on Friday.
Chaotic scenes
Lungisile Mzanywa, head of communications at Ntabankulu local municipality, described chaotic scenes at the school with children running out of the premises and trying to stop cars for help.
“It was a very chaotic situation and as things stand, parents are trying to locate their children across the town, across the shops in town, along the road. So it was very chaotic and a very traumatic experience for the children,” Mzanywa told the SABC on Thursday.
ECDoE said that immediately after the incident, all pupils and teachers were safely released from school with the support of Saps.
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The department of social development, along with other sector departments, has activated wellness services to provide psycho-social support and trauma counselling to affected pupils, staff and the broader school community.
Education MEC Fundile Gade will lead a delegation from the department’s senior management team to the school and the homes of the bereaved families on Monday.
Gade said he “condemns this act of violence in the strongest terms and reiterates the department’s commitment to schools as safe spaces of learning, care, and safety”.
Unions condemn shooting
The MEC reiterated that the wheels of justice needed to turn faster in processing lawlessness.
The National Teachers’ Union (Natu) condemned the shooting and said it was deeply shocked and heartbroken by the incident.
Natu has called for a swift police investigation, stronger school security, urgent systemic reforms by the department and pledged support for the affected school community.
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“Violence has no place in our places of learning and we will not rest until our educators can teach without fear,” the union said.
The Federation of Unions of South Africa (Fedusa) called for urgent, tighter security at schools.
The federation urged the government to deploy more resources, in-source security personnel and provide immediate psychological support to traumatised pupils and staff.
‘Schools must be places of safety’
“Schools must be places of safety and urgent, tightened security measures are needed to prevent such tragic incidents from happening again,” Fedusa said.
The South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) in the Eastern Cape said the killing of three female teachers is a devastating loss to the school and wider community, underscoring that schools must remain safe havens for teaching and learning.
The union is calling for urgent safety measures, a fast-tracked investigation and immediate psychosocial support for the traumatised school community.
“Quality teaching and learning can only take place in an environment that is safe and conducive,” Sadtu said.
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