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'Teachers have no control'
10/10/2006 10:18 - (SA)
Eduan Roos, Beeld
Shocked pupils and teachers from Forest High School, in Forest Hill in the
southern part of Johannesburg, had to receive counselling after finding the body of Simon Mbele, 19, who was stabbed to death on the
sports field by another pupil on Monday.
Mbele was involved in a fight with a Grade 8 boy at the school about 07:30.
He was stabbed four times in the neck.
Kim Atkinson, 17, a pupil, said she had just arrived at school to get notes
for the exams which started on Tuesday when she saw a large group of pupils
running to the sports field.
Knives brought to school
"I asked them what was happening and they shouted: "Somebody is dead". When
we arrived we noticed a number of emergency workers and realised it was
Simon."
Police spokesperson captain Schalk Bornman said pupils noticed the two boys
having an argument at a building on the sports field.
"They saw the 14-year-old boy running away and went to see what had
happened. They found the boy's body. He was stabbed in the neck four times
with a sharp object."
Nick Dollman, spokesperson for Netcare 911 emergency service, said the boy
was found dead in a ditch at the building.
According to Atkinson and her friend, Amanda Hicks, 17, there were fist
fights nearly every day at the school.
"Teachers have no control over the children. The only thing that will help
is if corporal punishment is brought back," said Atkinson.
"Children bring knives to school and jump over the fences to bunk whenever
they feel like it. And that is not only the case here, we know about other
schools where it is a lot worse."
Apparently the deputy principal at this school was seriously assaulted by a
pupil a couple of months ago.
Mark Petersen, the principle, could not be reached for comment, but he had
told 702 Talk Radio on Monday that it was "an isolated incident".
"It's the first incident of violence that I know about," Petersen told 702.
"Some of the pupils and teachers have received counselling and we will
continue doing so."
Pupils jumped over the fence and left the school while police members were
still combing the murder scene.
Panyaza Lesufi, spokesperson for Angie Matshekgo, Gauteng MEC for education,
said a top level investigation had been launched into the incident.
"The boys apparently argued over money. We are shocked by the murder and
have already spoken to several role players, among them the MEC for
community safety (Firoz Cachalia)," said Lesufi.
He said Mbele's parents also received counselling at length.
"Security at schools is not the responsibility of the education department," he said.
"Schools are part of the bigger community and crime and violence occur
everywhere every day."
- Beeld
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