School traumatised by stabbing

The principal of a Manenberg high school says pupils and teachers are traumatised following a fight during which a pupil was stabbed nine times. Photo: Independent Newspapers

The principal of a Manenberg high school says pupils and teachers are traumatised following a fight during which a pupil was stabbed nine times. Photo: Independent Newspapers

Published Mar 21, 2011

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The principalof a Manenberg high school says pupils and teachers are traumatised following a fight during which a pupil was stabbed nine times.

Police have opened cases against two pupils at Manenberg Secondary and the school has placed them on precautionary suspension.

Police spokesman Warrant Officer Llewellyn Lakay said one of the pupils was stabbed nine times on March 8 and a 17-year-old was arrested.

He was released into his parents’ care.

On March 9 this teenager opened a case of common assault against the pupil who had been stabbed, claiming the boy had hit him on the head with a knuckle duster.

Lakay said investigations into both cases were continuing.

He said regular police searches at schools in the area were being conducted. Police conducted a search at the school on March 9 but nothing was found.

School principal Thurston Brown said the fight allegedly stemmed from a previous incident outside the school involving one of the pupils and a relative of the other boy.

He said the school was doing everything possible to ensure the safety of pupils and staff and safety measures that had been implemented included hand-held metal detectors, CCTV cameras and school safety (Bambanani) volunteers.

Brown said that on Wednesdays the school day had been extended and an extra-curricular activities period had been introduced to get children to participate in such activities.

“I also patrol the premises. These things happen so quickly. Children and teachers have been quite traumatised by the incident.”

He said the provincial education department’s Safe Schools division had offered counselling.

Paddy Attwell, a spokesman for the Western Cape Education Department, said officials were advising the school on how to deal with the incident.

He said the school had suspended the pupils temporarily in line with procedure, pending a disciplinary hearing.

The school had made arrangements to allow the pupils to write exams.

“The district office will ensure that the school follows due process.”

Brown said the pupils were writing exams at different times throughout the day in a bid to ensure “their own safety, the safety of other pupils and staff members”. - Cape Argus

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