Durban - Two of the seven matric pupils at the centre of a deadly feud between two families in rural uMsinga have failed to make arrangements with the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education about how they will write their matric examinations.
The department announced last week at a visit to uMsinga after fears that a feud between the Danisa and Ximba families – neighbours – had spilled out and affected the writing of exams in four schools in that area.
The affected schools – Bambatha, KwaZenzele, Mjonge and Macingwane high schools – were found to be calm and writing of final examinations was proceeding, but the pupils affected were still in hiding.
Among those killed in the feud, which has seen four people die, was a local primary school teacher related to the Danisa family.
The teacher was shot dead while in hiding near Ladysmith, more than 100km away.
Education MEC Mthandeni Dlungwane said last week that they would increase security at examination venues where the seven pupils would be writing, and invited the parents of the affected pupils to make arrangements with the department to allow them to write at exam venues closer to where they were in hiding.
A departmental task team, led by provincial exams head, Dr Barney Mthembu, has since met some of the affected families; two pupils failed to meet, two agreed to write this month and three would complete their exams in March because of fears for their lives, despite assurances of their safety by the department with the assistance of the police.
Department spokesman, Sihle Mlotshwa, said on Tuesday the police were working with the department to ensure “free and fair” examinations for the two pupils writing in venues around the province.
The Daily News is not disclosing the education districts of the pupils to protect their safety.
Mlotshwa said timetables and registration documents were faxed on Friday to ensure they wrote their exams.
“Those who have made arrangements and cannot write now will (do so) next year because we have met their parents,” said Mlotshwa.
The feud has also affected several pupils from lower grades at the schools.
Mlotshwa said that those affected in the lower grades would either write their final exams at other schools or their continuous school-based assessment marks would be used instead as their final results.