Johannesburg - The three boys who were detained after they allegedly shot two fellow schoolmates outside their school in Lenasia appeared briefly in Child Justice Court in Protea Glen Magistrates Court on Wednesday.
The three boys aged 14, 15 and 17-years-old from MH Joosub Secondary School in Lenasia Extension 9 were arrested after one of them was allegedly playing with the firearm when it went off hitting the two victims aged 18 and 19.
The boys’ appearance came as the police announced that the father of the 15-year-old will be probed for negligent handling of a firearm because the gun used in the shooting belonged to him.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Phindi Louw Mjonondwane said the 15 and 17-year-old were charged with attempted murder and illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition while the 14-year-old was charged with possession of ammunition.
“It was rolled over for tomorrow for them to be assessed social workers and for them to acquire legal representative and for the preliminary inquiry,” said Mjonondwane.
The pupils were arrested after two fellow schoolmates were shot outside the school premises on Tuesday.
Police spokesperson Lungelo Dlamimin said investigations to establish the father’s fitness to possess a firearm were underway and they will also establish where the firearm was kept before the incident.
Mjonondwane added that the father of the 15-year-old also appeared at Protea Glen Magistrates Court and his matter was postponed to August 20.
On Wednesday morning, Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi welcomed the arrests and said the level of violence in and around Gauteng schools were of grave concern. On a statement he said: “We welcome the arrest of implicated learners, this is a sign of the cooperation agreement with the police to attend to these kinds of acts occurring closer to our schools."
The department sent psycho social unit to support the staff and learners at the school, including the victims and their families.
The incident follows the recent one at Forest High School in Turffontein were 16-year-old Daniel Bakwela was stabbed to death by his fellow schoolmate 19-year-old Mohamed Mwela. Mwela was granted bail of R5000 bail on June and he stands accused of murdering Bakwela outside their school.