A grade 11 learner in Mpumalanga has died after being allegedly hit with a brick by a fellow student while at school
PRETORIA, February 18 (ANA) – The Mpumalanga member of the executive council for education Bonakele Majuba was on Thursday scheduled to visit the family of a grade 11 student who died after being allegedly hit with a brick by a fellow learner while at school.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Mpumalanga education department said the pupil died on the way to a local clinic after the incident at Sekhukhusa Secondary School in Shatele in the Bushbuckridge local municipality on Monday.
“The department condemns this incident and has already directed that the school provides a detailed report relating to the circumstances that led to this incident,” provincial education spokesman Jasper Zwane said.
“Furthermore, the department conveys its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. The department will send a team of officials to render psychosocial support to all who are affected by this incident.”
South Africa has seen several incidents of violence perpetrated by students at its schools in the last few years.
Last year, a grade 10 learner in Gauteng province was arrested for allegedly stabbing a 14-year-old fellow pupil to death at Freedom Park Secondary School pupil. The victim reportedly died not far from his home.
In another incident in January last year, grade 9 learner Katlego Gristiph was stabbed to death outside the premises of Kopanelo Secondary School in Shaleng near Khunwana.
The student was stabbed as he stepped out of a bus by a female suspect who did not attend school, the spokesperson for North West province’s department of education Elias Malindi said at the time.
– African News Agency (ANA), Editing by Stella Mapenzauswa
