Grade 9 pupils arrested after two others shot near Lenasia school

Two pupils were shot in the vicinity of a high school in Lenasia, south of Johannesburg, on Tuesday.

Gauteng education spokesperson Steve Mabona said the two grade 12 pupils from MH Joosub Secondary School were shot in their legs while walking to school.

They were taken to Lenmed Clinic and Lenasia Clinic.

“It is alleged that the injured learners were shot by fellow learners from the same school,” he said in a statement.

Police have arrested two grade 9 pupils who were suspected to have been involved in the shooting incident.

Mabona said the department had sent a team to support staff and pupils at the school, including the victims and their families.

“We welcome the arrest of implicated learners, this is a sign of the co-operation agreement with the police to attend to these kind of acts occurring closer to our schools,” said Gauteng education MEC Panyaza Lesufi.

The department said the level of violence in and around schools was a “grave concern”.

An employee at the school told TimesLIVE that the shooting happened outside the premises and added that the pupils inside were safe.

Police spokesperson Col Lungelo Dlamini said three boys between the ages of 14 and 17 were arrested.

A pistol and six rounds of ammunition were recovered at the home of a pupil.

Cases of attempted murder and possession of an unlicensed firearm are being investigated.