Cape Town – A Cloetesville High School pupil in Stellenbosch has been suspended after he allegedly stabbed a fellow pupil at the school yesterday.
An investigation has been launched into the circumstances leading to the attack, which happened during a change of lessons. While police spokesperson FC Van Wyk said there was no record of the incident being reported, ER24 spokesperson Russel Meiring said paramedics found the 16-year-old boy with a stab wound to his back and face.
He was treated at the scene before being taken to a provincial hospital.
The pupil was reportedly in a stable condition, according to Western Cape Education Department (WCED) MEC Debbie Shaffer’s spokesperson, Jessica Shelver.
“The WCED plays an important role in addressing the behaviour of our learners in terms of conflict management, mediation as well as youth development.
"Our youth will never progress if they are not taught essential values and behaviours,” she said.
“Parental and community support, including prevention and early intervention, are the most reliable and cost-effective ways to support school safety,” Shelver said.
In July, the Department of Community Safety announced the deployment of 50 additional school resource officers to various schools to combat gangsterism, illegal possession of firearms, and high volumes of drug-related cases, following 18 stabbing
incidents since the beginning of the school year.
The purpose of the school resource officers was to safeguard pupils
returning to school after the winter school holidays.