Community demand school safety committee
Angry residents come up with resolutions to prevent school violence
FOLLOWING the recent schoolyard bloodbath at Ikhandlela Secondary School in eSikhaleni, residents have since demanded the formation of a school safety committee which will address learner-to-learner violence.
This emerged at a special meeting of Ward 21 residents held at the Methodist Church on Thursday afternoon.
The gathering was aimed at finding solutions to ensure the safety of all learners and came a week after a Grade 12 learner, Nqobani Ntuli (19), was stabbed to death and a second victim, Sanele Hlatshwayo (18), hospitalised with serious injuries after another learner, Sphamandla Mngomezulu (19), stabbed them inside the school’s ablution block.
According to Ward 21 ANC Youth League Chairperson, Sbongiseni Masondo, the committee will include parents, educators, learners and community members.
‘The group will be responsible for raising safety awareness’s and work together with the Community Policing Forum, the police and local councillors,’ said Masondo.
‘They will be responsible for random searches and other safety measures. We need to come together and fight this violence among children and make the safety of our scholars our first priority.’
Ensuring the school has one entrance and exit point was also a point of discussion.
Traumatised learners who witnessed the bloody incident are now back in class, and according to the Department of Education, they will all undergo trauma counselling.
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