Grade 8 pupils accused of killing fellow pupil: Panyaza Lesufi

Panyaza Lesufi, the Gauteng education MEC, said on Monday he had been informed that two grade 8 pupils had allegedly stabbed a grade 10 pupil to death.

The incident happened near Forest High School in the Johannesburg suburb of Turffontein. 

The stabbed pupil's mother fell to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably, when she saw his body.

"My son, oh my poor son Daniel," she cried.

An eyewitness and pupil, who cannot be identified as she is a minor, said four pupils were allegedly involved in an altercation. She believed the fight was related to rival gangs.

"The one group had an exam, the other did not. They just came for a fight," she alleged.

Family spokesperson Raymond Okitai confirmed the identity of the deceased. "Daniel Bakwela, he was a very good boy. I last saw him this morning. I thought he was not writing," he said.

Okitai said the family was alerted about the incident by a pupil.

He believed Daniel could have been saved: "When we got here, he was still alive. The ambulance just took long to arrive."

This is a developing story.