The KwaZulu-Natal education department has launched an investigation into an alleged racially motivated altercation at a Durban school.
Tensions erupted at Centenary Secondary School in Asherville on Tuesday morning resulting in three pupils being taken to hospital after being stabbed.
It is understood the altercation between Indian and black pupils escalated over the school's uniform policy.
The incident, captured on video and circulated on social media, resulted in the school issuing an urgent notice to parents informing them pupils would be dismissed at 9.30am. The video shows pupils attacking one another — and some parents assaulting learners — outside the schools, while neighbours are questioning the lack of intervention from the security. Police and private security were called to intervene.
The dRK Tactical control room confirmed to TimesLIVE Premium that three children sustained serious wounds.
“There was a racial altercation inside the school. Three pupils were stabbed and taken to hospital. Security personnel and police responded to the incident,” a representative said.
The education department wouldn't confirm the motive behind the violence but said it was aware the altercation at the school had simmered for two days.
Department spokesperson Muzi Mahlambi condemned the incident and promised the matter would be treated with the “utmost urgency”.
“The department has deployed officials to the school to gather facts and engage with all relevant stakeholders, including the school management, educators, learners and parents. The department is also working closely with law enforcement authorities to ensure that those responsible for instigating or escalating the violence are held accountable,” he said.
“The department will continue to monitor the situation closely and take decisive action in collaboration with all stakeholders to prevent similar occurrences in the future. Acts of violence and any form of discrimination have no place in our schools, as they undermine the core values of respect, tolerance and unity that we seek to instil in our learners.”
He said the department will prioritise restoring calm to the school and providing support to the affected pupils.
He appealed to all the stakeholders in the community to work together in fostering a conducive environment for teaching and learning.
A WhatsApp group of concerned parents said they were outraged at the lack of security to protect their children outside the school.
Many said they would not send their children to school on Wednesday, despite a notice from management informing them classes would resume. Others said they anticipated more violence at the school.
Meanwhile, DA member of the provincial legislature and the party’s spokesperson on education, Sakhile Mngadi, said the party condemned the “alleged racially motivated violence” in the school but added there was still no certainty on what happened.
He said he they had engaged MEC Sipho Hlomuka and HOD Nkosinathi Ngcobo and called for an immediate deployment of a district task team to investigate the matter and report back to the portfolio committee.
“The investigation must uncover how these learners accessed weapons, the state of security measures at the school and what interventions the department must implement to prevent such incidents in future.”
Mngadi said the party had always called for stronger safety and security policies in schools including the presence of trained security personnel, controlled access to school premises and clear protocols to prevent weapons from entering grounds.
“The incident is deeply disturbing, and our thoughts are with all the affected learners and their families ... Violence in school cannot be normalised and urgent action must be taken to ensure that the our schools are places of learning and not fear.”
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