Violence erupts in KwaZulu-Natal schools: Parents and teacher union demand action
The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education has expressed alarm over a series of violent and criminal incidents involving learners, while parents and teacher unions have called for urgent and decisive action to restore discipline in schools.
On Friday, a 17-year-old Grade 10 pupil at Trenance Park Secondary School in Verulam was stabbed in the neck during an altercation with fellow learners. Security company, Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA), which responded to the emergency, said the scholar returned to the school with a large kitchen knife still protruding from the back of his neck.
The boy was stabilised by paramedics before being taken to hospital, where he underwent surgery and is now recovering. A 14-year-old pupil was arrested for the incident.
KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Education, Sipho Hlomuka, said: “We are relieved to report that his condition is stable, and we remain hopeful for his full recovery.” He added that the department “will continue to monitor the learner’s recovery while ensuring he receives academic support” and extended appreciation to RUSA, the medical team, and the teachers of Trenance Park Secondary for their intervention.
In a separate incident on the same day, a mass brawl broke out among learners from Esther Payne Smith Secondary School in Northdale Circuit, uMgungundlovu District. Mi7 security and other private security providers responded to the scene, where they found two learners, aged 15 and 17, with lacerations to the head and legs. The pupils received on-site treatment before being taken to hospital, while another learner, believed to be responsible, was apprehended.
“As a Department, we condemn school violence; it has no place in our learning environments and in our communities. We wish the injured a speedy recovery,” MEC Hlomuka said.
Vee Gani, chairperson of the KZN Parents Association, said: “It is very concerning that we have these issues of, and I deem them very serious, violent actions that have been committed by children against other children. You know, using a weapon on a child is considered attempted murder. So these are very, very serious issues.”
He added that parents are increasingly worried when sending their children to school. “When you send your child to school, you don’t expect that child’s going to be injured in any way. The last thing that a parent wants is to get a call to say that the child has been assaulted or injured in a particular way. It’s not what any parent wants to hear.”
Gani argued that schools cannot handle violent criminal behaviour alone and called for the removal of violent learners: “Any child who has committed violent actions in the school against any other learner or anybody else for that matter must be removed. The only way to strengthen the school is to remove anyone who poses a risk.”
He emphasised that society must take a “bold and decisive stand” against bullying, gangsterism, and violence.
The National Professional Teachers’ Organisation of South Africa (NAPTOSA) said the incidents highlight a wider trend. In a statement, provincial CEO Thirona Moodley noted: “The recent spate of school violence in KZN schools has grabbed the attention of the public because the videos have gone viral; however, there are other violent episodes in schools that are not brought to the public attention. The violence is accompanied by stabbing and mobs of learners spurring on these attacks.”
Moodley warned that the attention from social media was fuelling the problem. “It has been brought to our attention that these attacks are also more exaggerated because of the social media attention it gets. If this goes on, we will not be able to control the violence in schools.”
She added that both teachers and learners are at risk. “Last week, a principal was stabbed for attempting to break up a fight between learners. Teachers’ and learners’ lives are at stake.”
NAPTOSA called for stronger law enforcement involvement. “Schools must involve law enforcement through having random searches for weapons, and the schools must on a regular basis invite SAPS to give talks in the assembly. Learners must understand that they will be arrested and possibly imprisoned. The harsh realities of violence must be understood by our learners.”
Meanwhile, in a separate case of vandalism, MEC Hlomuka condemned the destruction of property by pupils at Mzwamandla High School in uMlazi. Learners allegedly responsible for the vandalism were arrested after videos circulated on social media.