Two teachers and seven pupils were killed on school premises over the past five years, according to figures released by Gauteng education MEC Matome Chiloane.
A further eight pupils and four teachers were killed outside the institutions by “outsiders”.
Shockingly, the murders have resulted in only one criminal conviction that the department is aware of.
Chiloane said some of the cases had been closed due to a lack of evidence, and some were ongoing.
One of the teachers killed at school in an apparent hit was Lazarus Baloyi, the headmaster of Buyani Primary, near Ennerdale, who was gunned down on June 18 2021.
In January last year, Thembisile Ngendane, the deputy principal of Phomolong Secondary in Thembisa, Ekurhuleni, was shot dead outside the school gates.
Two of the seven pupils killed on school premises were from Khanya Lesedi Secondary School in Heidelberg, southeast of Johannesburg.
Chiloane confirmed there were 26 incidents of gangsterism, 45 cases of pupil-on-pupil violence, six cases of pupil-on-teacher violence and four cases of teacher-on-pupil violence.
“There were 40 stabbings, 10 shootings and 16 other violent crimes.”
Gangsterism, which is mostly influenced by drug abuse, has led to many cases where pupils were stabbed. We urge all law enforcement agencies to prioritise school safety so that learning and teaching can take place in a conducive environment.
— Khume Ramulifho, DA shadow MEC for education in Gauteng
The MEC said some of the measures the department had implemented to make schools safe include:
- deployment of patrollers in no-fee schools; the provision of psychosocial support to pupils; safety talks and search and seizure operations conducted by the police;
- the establishment of school safety committees and the linking of schools with local police stations;
- employment of private security companies subject to the availability of funds;
- Business Against Crime installing closed circuit television cameras at various schools; and
- co-ordinating partnerships with the department of social development on anti-bullying and gangsterism campaigns.
In a recent incident, a grade 10 pupil from Dinokaneng Secondary School in Sebokeng was fatally stabbed, allegedly by a fellow pupil, after school on February 23.
A grade 11 pupil from the same school had to be hospitalised after he was stabbed a day earlier during a fight at a local sports ground.
Khume Ramulifho, DA shadow MEC for education in Gauteng, said the number of violent incidents was concerning.
“Gangsterism, which is mostly influenced by drug abuse, has led to many cases where pupils were stabbed. We urge all law enforcement agencies to prioritise school safety so that learning and teaching can take place in a conducive environment.”
During a presentation on the department of basic education’s performance for the third quarter of the 2022/23 financial year to parliament on Tuesday, MP Baxolile Nodada suggested that psychology and social work students be placed in high-risk areas.
“They can assist pupils with behavioural challenges in these areas.”
Basic education minister Angie Motshekga said during the same meeting that “we should look at different, creative ways of ensuring that schools are a safe environment and conducive to teaching”.
MPs heard that most districts across the country failed to achieve the target of implementing a programme to end school-related, gender-based violence.
Only five districts, one in Free State and four in Gauteng, were able to provide evidence of having implemented such a programme.
Basic education director-general Mathanzima Mweli said they monitored provinces closely and were not able to get enough evidence to show that the indicator on the programme to end school-related, gender-based violence was achieved.
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