Grade 8 boy stabbed to death – what we know so far

This is the fifth death of a Gauteng pupil to be reported since February.


According to Gauteng Education spokesperson Steven Mabona, a grade 12 student fatally stabbed a fellow grade 8 student last week on the 4th of February 2020.

According to reports, the incident took place on Friday the 7th, but this is false information. The Gauteng Department of Education was only informed on Friday. They managed to release a statement on Saturday the 8th of February, but that was already 4 days after the incident.

The altercation leading up to the incident are still being thoroughly investigated by the police.

According to what we know thus far, a grade 12 learner from Fochville Secondary school had a fall out with a grade 8 learner from Thutokitso Secondary School. These two schools are in the same neighborhood.

The argument quickly turned violent and the girl stabbed the grade 12 learner, who attempted to run away. Unfortunately, he failed to escape, fell and the stabbing continued.

Emergency services were called on-site, but the boy was declared dead soon afterward.

The perpetrator was arrested and taken to the Youth Development Centre because she is still a minor. Pyschoservices were subsequently deployed to both schools to offer support where required.

This incident is reported a day after the department reported four deaths in the Gauteng division since the beginning of February.

One  learner was declared dead at a local clinic after vomiting at school. Another one died after a goal post accidentally fell on him. The other two had complications at home, and one is suspected of having consumed poison.

What we know is that someone’s child is dead, and someone other child is being charged with his murder. What led her to such a gruesome act, nobody knows.

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