Chaos after learner is stabbed at Mamelodi school

The Gauteng Education Department and police are investigating incidents of violence between learners at a Mamelodi 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 were investigating at least one case of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

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

He explained that the victim’s grandmother reported the incident which had 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 said.

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

The grandmother of the victim was 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 Record bullying was also allegedly prevalent at the school.

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

Departmental spokesperson Steve Mabona said they were 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 escalated within [spilled into] the school environment.”

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

“A meeting with parents is scheduled for Friday, 7 March, for all affected learners. Our Psycho-Social Support team was dispatched to the school to provide the necessary support.”

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

Mabona said schools were 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 was 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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