Parents up in arms after pupil’s death

Cape Town - 130515 - Police scan the scene with sniffer dogs. A shooting occurred at Spes Bona in Athlone when a matric pupil was shot in the head. Pupils, traumatised after witnessing the shooting, were escorted home by their parents. Police were on scene with sniffer dogs shortly after the boy was whisked away to hospital. PICTURE: THOMAS HOLDER. REPORTER: DANEEL KNOETZE

Cape Town - 130515 - Police scan the scene with sniffer dogs. A shooting occurred at Spes Bona in Athlone when a matric pupil was shot in the head. Pupils, traumatised after witnessing the shooting, were escorted home by their parents. Police were on scene with sniffer dogs shortly after the boy was whisked away to hospital. PICTURE: THOMAS HOLDER. REPORTER: DANEEL KNOETZE

Published May 16, 2013

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Cape Town - A number of pupils at Spes Bona High School in Athlone are expected to be absent on Thursday as they come to terms with the fatal shooting of a fellow pupil.

Enrico Martin, a 17-year-old matric pupil, died in Groote Schuur Hospital hours after being shot in the back of the head in the crowded school quad as pupils were filing in for morning lessons.

The majority of pupils interviewed by the Cape Argus on Wednesday said they had seen Enrico being shot. The gunman fled the scene. No arrests have been made.

On Wednesday, the Western Cape Education Department said the assailant was an outsider, disguised in the school’s uniform.

Asked about this, two pupils independently said the gunman had been dressed in casual clothes that merely matched the dark colours of the uniform.

Enrico’s parents were in the trauma ward when he died shortly after 1pm. They declined to comment, asking for privacy.

Parents of other Spes Bona pupils were more vocal.

“I will not bring my child back before I can have a satisfactory answer from the school about what they will do to ensure his safety,” said Candice May, adding that her son was traumatised after witnessing the shooting.

“I cannot expect him to receive proper counselling from the department (of education) officials because there are hundreds of children at the school. I will take him to see a counsellor in private.”

Sakirah Williams fetched her grandchildren from the school when she heard the news, and then waited for her son at nearby Garlandale High School at lunch time.

Her son has had a gun pointed at him at least three times in the past two weeks, and she did not want him to travel home alone.

“Is this what it has come to?” asked parent Vincent Baadjies.

“They should be able to travel safely, but now picking up our children from school is our only option to ensure their safety.

“It costs time and money and is not sustainable.”

As their children recover from the shock, parents will meet later today to propose strategies for combating teenage gangsterism in Athlone.

Dan Plato, MEC for Community Safety, has condemned the attack and is scheduled to visit the school later today.

Meanwhile, provincial Community Policing Forum chairman Hanif Loonat has called for stricter access control at school entrances to ensure that only registered pupils are allowed to enter the grounds.

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