WATCH: Parents want to see Lesufi at Atteridgeville school where boy was shot

Disgruntled parents and concerned residents at Phuthaditshaba Primary School in Atteridgeville. Picture: Rudzani Matshili

Disgruntled parents and concerned residents at Phuthaditshaba Primary School in Atteridgeville. Picture: Rudzani Matshili

Published Apr 25, 2019

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Pretoria - Disgruntled parents and residents on Thursday stayed put at Phuthaditshaba Primary School in Atteridgeville, hoping to be addressed by Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi.  

Classes remained suspended at the school as parents continued demanding answers regarding the alleged shooting of a Grade 6 boy.

They wanted to know why they had not been informed about the incident, which took place a week ago.  

Pupils who had attempted schooling left around 11am as classes were canceled. 

There was a heavy police presence at the school.

Disgruntled parents and concerned residents at Phuthaditshaba Primary School in Atteridgeville. Video: Rudzani Matshili

The 13-year-old pupil was shot and wounded while in class. However, no one saw the gunman.

While police said the motive and perpetrators remained unknown, parents said they suspected the shooting was gang-related.

Details of the shooting remain sketchy, but the Pretoria News was told that the victim stood up to borrow a pen from a classmate before falling down, screaming in agony. 

When his teacher rushed to check on him, she found that he had a gaping wound in his shoulder. 

He was rushed to hospital in the teacher’s car. 

However, the parents and residents who invaded the school accused the school of withholding information. 

Chaotic scenes broke out at the school earlier as defiant parents demanded the Lesufi visit the school. 

They even threatened to shut down the school until Monday if not addressed.  

“We are not going anywhere until Lesufi comes here.  

"Our children are not safe at all and we can’t continue like this, especially if no one is giving us assurance that our children are safe,” one parent said.  

A security guard at the school said she did not hear any gunshots on the day of the incident, but saw a teacher leaving the school premises with the victim inside the car shortly after the incident, at about 1pm.

She said they were instructed not to search the pupils when they came into school, but admitted they often carried dangerous weapons.

SAPS spokesperson Lieutenant Lungelo Dlamini said a case of attempted murder was being investigated.

Pretoria News

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