The scene of Tuesday's fatal stabbing in Pietermaritzburg. Image: Public Eye
Emotions ran high outside Eastwood Secondary School on Tuesday as family and friends gathered around the lifeless body a Grade 11 learner who was fatally stabbed, reports Public Eye.
Bystanders lashed out at the school’s lack of learner security, after the learner died in his mother’s arms.
At this stage, details of the murder remain sketchy, but the attack is believed to stem from an altercation at the school on Monday, in which a female learner was attacked with a pair of scissors.
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Fellow learners at the scene said that the Grade 11 victim confronted learners who attacked the female learner, and this resulted in Tuesday’s retaliation, with the learner being stabbed six times.
Eyewitnesses said the Grade 11 learner was attacked by a group of around four other learners from the school. It is alleged the attackers were armed with knives, spades and other weapons.
Another Grade 11 learner also sustained serious injuries in the attack and was rushed to hospital, where he is reportedly in a critical condition.
The murder took place within metres of the victim’s home. The child’s distraught mother rushed to the scene and found her mortally wounded son. She held him and called out to her son to open his eyes, but the boy died seconds later in her arms.
Crime scene experts sealed off the scene and collected evidence as a large crowd of onlookers, including fellow learners and children from the neighbourhood, watched on. Mountain Rise Police have launched an intensive manhunt for the suspects.
Speaking to Public Eye, relatives of the murdered learner said they were devastated that such a young, promising life was so brutally taken away.
“He was a caring affectionate boy who worked hard at school and had just received his term three results, which confirmed he would have entered matric next year. He had so much going for him and even had just passed his learner driver’s test.
“He was the youngest in his family and would always be so affectionate to his mum. We will not rest until the perpetrators are arrested and face justice,” said the family member.
Emotional learners and parents who gathered outside the school said they were fearful of their safety, and would not be returning to the institution until improved security measures were implemented.
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