Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane has criticized parents and teachers following the fatal stabbing of a secondary school student.
Chiloane visited Geluksdal Secondary School in Brakpan, Ekurhuleni, on Friday after Shawn Mphela was killed the previous day.
The Gauteng Department of Education says a fight broke out when three Year 10 students pepper-sprayed each other during school hours on Thursday.
Later, about eight students were confronted with their behavior and stopped.
The alleged perpetrator appeared after school with an unknown person, with a fight, which led to Mphela’s death.
Another student escaped with minor injuries, while one of the alleged perpetrators was injured during the confrontation.
According to the students, the principal and teachers were informed before the incident.
‘Protect the school’
Chiloane mourned the death of the 18-year-old while addressing parents and students at the school on Friday.
“I was told that something happened before it happened outside the school, inside the school, the question I want to ask is, where are the teachers?”
“I say this because between school hours the teacher must be in the classroom all the time,” said the crowd.
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The MEC said he expected a report from the school administrator on the absent teacher.
“Only God knows if he’s in the classroom, we wouldn’t talk like this. We don’t know.”
He said he felt that the parents had failed the students.
“If anyone is to blame, it should be the parents themselves. This situation can be stopped and it takes the community to come back and protect the school. Protect our future.”
‘not a playground’
Chiloane further promised to increase security in the school.
“We’re going to make sure that, from now on, we protect and secure this school. We have to make sure that we provide all the protection we can for these students… that between school hours, they need to know that this school is not a playground.
“This is not a playground for taking political opportunities where you want to grow and defeat what you want to achieve here.
“So for these students, we will give them the protection they need and we will increase the security they need in this school. We will make sure that learning starts on time and teachers are always in the classroom.”
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The MEC also visited the family of the deceased on Friday.
Earlier, an angry mob destroyed the property of a 31-year-old man who is believed to have stabbed Mphela to death.
Police had to disperse the crowd using rubber bullets and stun grenades after entering the venue with weapons and breaking windows in search of the man.
The suspect was rescued by the police.
According to reports, three people have been arrested for Mphela’s murder.