Africa-Press – South-Africa. The Free State Department of Education is reeling from shock after a security guard was shot dead at a school in Makwane village in Qwaqwa.
The incident is one of many alarming increases of violence in South African schools.
On 31 January, a Grade 10 boy allegedly assaulted a Grade 10 girl at Nic Diederichs High School in Krugersdorp.
The boy was suspended.
On 2 February, a Grade 10 pupil from Geluksdal Secondary School in Brakpan, Ekurhuleni, was stabbed to death.
On 3 February, Gauteng police opened an inquest docket after a man, who allegedly held teachers hostage and stabbed another teacher at Kagiso Secondary School in the West Rand, was shot dead by one of the teachers.
On the same day, chaos erupted in Ficksburg after allegations that a Grade 9 pupil at Tlotlisong Secondary School committed suicide because he was allegedly bullied by one of the teachers.
On 17 March, a Grade 8 pupil was stabbed by a Grade 9 pupil at Mabela Secondary School in Boiketlo Village in Qwaqwa.
In the latest incident, Free State education spokesperson Howard Ndaba said security guard, Tsoho Motlokoa, 49, was shot dead on Thursday evening at Rantsane Secondary School.
Ndaba said:
Free State Education MEC Makalo Mohale said this was very sad, and he was shocked and in disbelief.
“On behalf of the education fraternity, I wish to send heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Motlokoa,” he said.
Rantsane Secondary School principal Sekgokgo Molefe described Motlokoa as a “father figure” to the pupils and said he had contributed immensely to the school’s results over the past five years.
The crime statistics for the second quarter of the 2022/23 financial year revealed that 83 rapes and 19 murders were committed in educational facilities, including primary and high schools, daycare facilities, special schools and tertiary institutions. There were six cases of rapes that occurred at daycare centres, five at special needs schools, and 67 at schools.
Professor Catherine Ward from the University of Cape Town’s social development department said bullying and corporal punishment also contributed to school violence.
She said there was a need for robust anti-bullying programmes.
Ward said:
The South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) said the increasing incidents of violence at schools were concerning. Sadtu spokesperson Nomusa Cembi said law enforcement and security were very poor in townships and rural areas.
“The security personnel in our schools do not have the necessary resources to protect themselves. We have embarked on an ‘IAmASchoolFan’ campaign to mobilise communities, parents, learners, teachers, local churches, police and businesses to support and protect their schools,” Cembi said.
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