Eastern Cape grade 10 pupil stabbed to death by schoolmate

The Eastern Cape Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Education, Fundile Gabe, has advised parents to make time to ensure their children do not carry weapons in their school bags.

This comes after a 20-year-old grade 10 pupil from Rocklands Intermediate School in Kariega, Eastern Cape, was stabbed to death by a 17-year-old grade 9 pupil on Friday.

According to the Eastern Cape Department of Education, the tragic incident happened after the pupils were released from school and were on their way towards the school transport outside the school premises.

Pupil stabbed in the neck by schoolmate

“The deceased grade 10 learner was stabbed on the neck by a grade 9 schoolmate following a quarrel while walking to their scholar transport,” said department spokesperson Mali Mtima.

“Police and the paramedics were called to the scene, although the alleged culprit had run away after the incident.”

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The pupil was declared dead on the scene after the paramedics arrived.

Mtima added that the victim’s parents were informed about the incident and arrived before the Saps forensic unit left with their child’s body.

‘Each school is a safe haven’

The stunned MEC advised parents to make time to ensure their children do not carry weapons in their bags to school to curb incidents of this nature.

“We are very shocked by this incident because we always preach and believe each school is a safe haven for learners. We have also activated programmes like anti-gangsterism and anti-bullying, including programmes meant for school cohesion amongst learners,” Gabe said.

He also made a call to the people of the Nelson Mandela Bay (NMB) education district to unite to assist in curbing crime affecting their schools.

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“Our NMB schools are robbed daily despite our efforts to improve their security. Recently, a schoolteacher was robbed of his vehicle at gunpoint inside school premises in Motherwell, which was later found after criminals lost control and overturned it near Daku,” the MEC said.

Unite to make schools safe

“This is uncalled for; let’s all unite to make our schools and communities free of crime, gangsterism, and bullying.”

The department’s psychosocial support team has been activated for assistance, especially for those who witnessed the incident.

The MEC visited the deceased pupil’s family on Monday morning to pay her respects.