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Family, teachers and learners of the Rocklands Intermediate school, Kariega were left traumatised after a 20-year-old was dragged off bus and stabbed to death inside the school yard last Friday.
The Eastern Cape Department of Education led by MEC for Education, Fundile Gade received word from Petros Majola of Khula Community Project reporting a shocking incident that took place inside school premises where a fight broke out, resulting to an untimely death of a pupil. Reports said that this student was stabbed to death by another Grade nine student after being dragged off the school bus on as they were about to be on their way home. Majola issued a statement as he was contacted by the bereaved family upon the news of this tragedy.
“On Friday afternoon as pupils were heading home there was an argument between these students and a fight erupted, the fight intensified and resulted to a 20-year-old male learner whose home is in Uitenhage getting dragged out of the Scholar Transport vehicle. The fight spirit immediately changed into a violent action and stabbing started, with the victim sustaining serious injuries to which he succumbed to as he was declared dead in front of school gate,” said Majola.
Police and the Paramedics were called to the scene, although the alleged culprit had ran away after the incident. The Paramedics arrived and after examining the body, declared the stabbed learner dead, parents of the deceased learner were informed and arrived before the SAPS Forensic Unit left the scene with the body. More to this, Gade has since sent out his heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased and also promised a visit.
“We are very shocked by this incident because we always preach and believe each school is a safe haven for learners. We have also activated programs like anti-gangsterism, anti-bullying including programs meant for social cohesion amongst learners. This is uncalled for, let’s all unite to make our schools and communities free of crime, gangsterism and bullying. A partnership between communities of the Metro, civil society groups and Community Policing Forum is a necessity now to curb this terrible tendency”, said Gade.
The district has activated psychosocial support for the school, especially for those learners who witnessed the entire ordeal.
