CHULUMANCO MAHAMBA
A Vlakfontein school as a Grade 11 boy learner was fatally stabbed prompting the community to speak out about crime and alleged gangsterism in the area.
On Thursday afternoon, the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) said it was concerned by an incident at Qalabotjha Secondary School in Vlakfontein where a Grade 11 learner was fatally stabbed.
According to the department, a fight allegedly broke out between a group of boys in the afternoon outside the school and the learner was allegedly stabbed in the chest.
The learner was subsequently rushed to a nearby clinic but succumbed to his injuries while he was receiving medical attention.
Police spokesperson Colonel Mavela Masondo confirmed that a 21-year-old Grade 11 learner was arrested for the alleged fatal stabbing of a fellow learner in Vlakfontein.
Masondo said the learner would be making his first court appearance at the Lenasia Magistrate’s Court this week, adding that investigations suggest that the incident happened after a fight involving a group of learners inside the school.
Ward councillor Sthembiso Zungu said he received a call at about12.30pm on Thursday asking him to contact the police. he went to the school later but did not find any police at the scene.
Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane, who visited the family of the deceased learner on Saturday, said it was a tragic loss to the department and the family.
“The family really expressed how they felt and the loss. The child that they lost was really a wonderful child from what we heard from the family. They are really aggrieved, they are in pain and we need to ensure that we support them in this period,” the MEC said.
He added that the department pledged to assist with psycho-social support – the district director will be stationed at the school daily and all the other learners will be supported.
“All learners are really worried. All parents are really on edge because they might assume that children are no longer safe in our school,” the MEC said.
Chiloane said Vlakfontein has been identified as a crime hot spot recently and announced that the police said they would make a commitment to do more to keep schools safe.
“We need everybody's hands on deck to ensure that we address the issues that have been seen. There is a problem. We need the community and counsellors to come on board and assist us,” the MEC said.
“We don't want to find ourselves like what we are doing now, reacting to an outcome rather than preventing such incidents occurring.”
He added that a school was a reflection of the community.
Zungu said the community has been battling with crime for some time and they should march to the police station.
Zungu said gangsterism has been rife at Qalabotjha Secondary School and another nearby school.
“This rival gang fight has been going on for quite some time since last year … it’s getting really out of hand,” the councilor said.
On Friday, GDE spokesperson Steve Mabona said there were suspensions of gangsterism at the school and allegedly a tribal issue between Sotho and Zulu community members.
“They (community members) said they managed to quell it but then it moved to these learners shockingly fighting to sell dagga,” Mabona said.
He added that the community also wasn’t happy with the state of the school. Mabona said the community alleged that the principal came to the school drunk, and there was lack of management at the school. Learners further complained that they were not being taught and an alleged lack of furniture and food at the school.
“We have committed to launch an investigation as a department and we are considering (as a) precautionary transferring him to the district office, while we continue with the process of investigation,” Mabona said.
The Star