Teen killed, three injured in Cape Town shooting but matric exams go on

The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has confirmed that matric exams went ahead in Ravensmead, Cape Town, schools following a Tuesday morning shooting where a Grade 8 public died and three others were injured.

A 14-year-old Grade 8 pupil from Ravensmead High School was tragically shot and killed after gunmen opened fire randomly in Ravensmead while the children were travelling to school on Tuesday morning.

Two other teenagers, aged 15 and 17, were also shot and are being treated for their injuries. WCED spokesperson Bronaugh Hammond said one of the teenagers was alleged to be a female pupil from Ravensmead High School, and the other victim is allegedly not a pupil.

Pupil killed, three injured in morning shooting

The Western Cape police added that a few meters from the scene where the children were shot, a 55-year-old man was also shot and injured.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa said two gunmen in a vehicle disembarked on Donegal Street and fired shots.

#sapsWC [HAPPENING NOW] The Acting Provincial Commissioner of the Western Cape, Maj Gen Maqashalala and DPC Policing, Maj Gen Manci are addressing the media at a crime scene in Ravensmead where a shooting claimed the life of a 14-year-old and injured two others. Deployment had… pic.twitter.com/nkcX1s73tQ

— SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) November 19, 2024

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Hammond said the alleged perpetrators then fled into the grounds of St Andrew’s Secondary School in Elsies River as pupils were entering the school gates.

“This caused panic amongst the learners. Some fled the school grounds. The schools in the area immediately went into lockdown mode in terms of safety procedures; however, some parents are collecting their children from the schools,” Hammond said.

She added that this affected examinations at some schools, with timetables being amended to accommodate the change, but the National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations went ahead at all schools.

Matric exams went ahead in all schools

Hammond added that the department’s NSC examination team was also alerted immediately, and measures were put in place to ensure that the Grade 12 learners could write their NSC exam and that the integrity of the examination was not compromised.

“Counselling support is being provided to the learners. Refreshments have been provided to the learners as well,” she said.

The police confirmed that murder and attempted murder dockets have been opened, and a manhunt has since been launched for the perpetrators of the act.

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“The area has been bolstered with additional deployments in an effort to stabilise the precinct. The motive for the shooting forms part of ongoing investigations. Part of the investigations undertaken is to determine if the two incidents are related,” Potelwa said.

WCED will also be arranging security to make sure that the pupils feel safe during the examination. Our condolences to the family, friends, and the school community of Ravensmead. This is a tragic and sad day for all concerned, and we will continue to provide the necessary support,” Hammond said.

Education activist Hendrick Makaneta said the incidents speak to the level of violence citizens can no longer ignore in their communities.

Violence in communities

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of this young learner. We must not let this senseless tragedy become just another statistic. We must act now to protect the lives of our children before it’s too late,” he said.

Makaneta called on government officials and law enforcement agencies to take immediate action to curb the escalating violence in Cape Town’s high-risk areas.

“We cannot continue to allow the streets to be more dangerous than the classrooms. Our schools and communities should be sanctuaries where our children can learn, grow, and dream without fear of being gunned down on their way to education,” he said.

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