Stick fighting games out of hand
MECs had to intervene after stick fight games forced the school to shut down in Maphumulo.
Two months after its official opening, Ukukhanyakwezwe High School in Maphumulo has shut down because village stick fighting battles have gotten out of hand.
Teenage boys from Mzulwini, Mambedu and Ndaba areas were caught up in an ongoing conflict that ended up disturbing classes in Ukukhanyakwezwe forcing the school to close for two weeks.
The fights started as a game in a traditional ceremony that later involved more people especially pupils from Ukukhanyakwezwe.
Last week community safety and liaison MEC Willies Mchunu and Health MEC Sbongiseni Dhlomo visited the school to try and resolve the matter.
Mchunu said he was disappointed to see that the parents were the ones who were encouraging the fights. Mchunu lashed out at them, saying they were killing the future of their children and the future of the area.
“I am disturbed to learn that some parents are happy and supportive of this conflict. Those who do this thing are wrong and they should know that.”
Dlomo and Mchunu said they were particularly concerned about the future of matric pupils who should be preparing for examinations in a peaceful environment not a conflict ravaged school.
Teaching and learning resumed this week following an intervention programme to bring communities together by the departments of education, community safety and health last week.
