Schoolyard violence is a mayday call
'Fights in school corridors are by no means a new occurrence, for it has played out across all demographics in urban and rural schools since the beginning of time' writes Ronelle Ramsamy
WE have somehow become accustomed to living in a frowned upon violent society, but when that brutality enters schoolyards and learners use unrestrained aggression as a means to execute ‘vigilante’ justice, it calls for serious intervention.
Fights in school corridors are by no means a new occurrence, for it has played out across all demographics in urban and rural schools since the beginning of time.
A knife stabbing in the chest, however, is a stark contradiction to a fist fight and a worrying reminder that the violent nature of the communities we live in is rubbing off onto our children.
The reality is that turf wars are manifesting on school grounds and pupils are using violent means to obtain revenge.
The dispute at Ikhandlela Secondary School in eSikhaleni last week, which resulted in the death of one learner, was deemed to be over a schoolgirl’s stolen cellphone.
A material possession, as we so often see, outweighed the value of a precious life.
This cannot be viewed as just another day at the office or school in Zululand.
A child was murdered – someone’s offspring, someone’s brother, someone whose destiny was prematurely severed.
When a weapon, in the form of a knife, was taken to school, there was already preconceived intention to commit a crime.
But what is most heart-rending is the fact that a helpless, vulnerable and seriously injured boy had to drag himself from the ablution block, where he was stabbed, to the front of the school before help arrived.
Is this Ubuntu? Where were the other children or bystanders to a tragedy that took place during a school break?
Several factors are a serious cause for concern.
While some may argue that this was an unavoidable catastrophe, the situation was nevertheless tense from Tuesday, when police were called in to resolve the issue. More security was needed and perhaps a consecutive random search could have rooted out the weapon that was used in the criminal act.
A more proactive stance was needed to prevent the situation from boiling over.
This kind of barbaric killing must be condemned on all fronts by among others Amakhosi, community leaders, parents, teachers and residents.
Bloodshed will not be tolerated especially in our schoolyards.
Perpetrators of this crime must be brought to book to send a strong message that vigilantism has no place in school.
Lawlessness will not reign in an environment aimed at grooming future leaders.
