Parents worried about school

2008-08-19 08:01

Amanda Roestoff and Leane du Plessis

Krugersdorp - A number of parents who fetched their children from Nic Diederichs Technical High School after a matric pupil killed another boy and injured three people on Monday, say their children have been negative about the school for a while.

One teacher apparently uses a stun gun to discipline pupils who smoke on the school premises.

"So many things have happened here but nothing is done about it. It can't go on like this," one mother said.

Safety

Berdien de Beer, 44, the mother of Grade 8 pupil Nico Brits, 14, said she is still waiting for a reply from the principal Mac Redelinghuys about what he is going to do to ensure her son's safety at school.

This was after Nico was threatened with a knife on July 14, after he apparently refused to take part in a fist fight over a girl.

"I'm taking my child out of that school!" said De Beer, after three alleged occasions where children were threatened with violence since January.

"I feel more and more scared to send my child to the school," she said.

Another mother apparently laid an assault charge at Krugersdorp police station after her minor son was apparently grabbed by the throat and choked a few months ago by a boy who wanted access to his computer.

Safety analysis

Meanwhile, the DA has revealed that this was the only school on the West Rand that did not take part in a recent safety analysis.

DA council member in the West Rand District Municipality (WRDM) and Mogale City Council, Kobus de Beer, said all the other schools on the West Rand completed a questionnaire on fire risks, problems with drug abuse and general security risks.

The goal of the questionnaire was to enable municipalities to do contingency planning and to deliver better service to schools.

"According to legislation, the school is obligated to take part in the safety plan," he said.

- Beeld