The Congress of SA Students condemns violence in schools

Following a stabbing incident that left a student dead at the Thuto-Tiro Comprehensive School the Congress of SA Students (Cosas) condemned violence at schools in the wake of the incident and promised to continue calling on Lesufi and basic education minister Angie Motshekga to beef up security at primary and secondary schools.

“We condemn such barbaric and bad behaviour by learners,” said secretary-general Mzwakhe Gwegwe, who was at the school with the Gauteng MEC for Education Panyaza Lesufi on Monday.

“This also brings us back to where we have requested that security must be intensified at each and every school … This will be a first step in reducing the crimes at schools. This tragedy is affecting all the people, from community members to parents, who send their pupils to learn, only to be receiving them as corpses,” added Gwegwe.

In a media briefing at the school, department district director Victor Thetha said the incident happened inside a classroom while the pupils were “playing”.

“From there he was taken to the admin block sickbay where he was attended to. The unfortunate part is that, when the paramedics arrived, he was certified dead,” Thetha said.

Police said they received a call at around 10:20 from the school informing them of the incident. Addressing the media, police spokesperson Captain Fikile Funda said upon arrival the deceased was found in the sickbay.

Funda said a 15-year-old suspect has been arrested and a case of murder is being investigated. He said the investigation would direct authorities on what their next steps would be.