Update Video
MOSSELBAAI NUUS EN VIDEO - Police clamped down twice on troubled Indwe Secondary School this week following more violence at the school in the latter part of last week.
Three learners have been stabbed during two separate attacks involving the school.
On Thursday morning, 22 August the KwaNonqaba Police responded in full force to yet another fight, seemingly a retaliation for an off-premises incident on Wednesday, 21 August, when a 19-year-old learner of the school was stabbed in the back by another 19-year-old learner.
This perpetrator has since been arrested.
Last week, on Thursday morning, however, several learners used a luxury vehicle to cart a bag full of weapons to the school.
It seems they may have been in cellphone communication with others, and were trying to arrange for back-up once the fight ensued.
A group of approximately eight learners waited for others who were busy writing a test to finish before the fight broke out and the stabbings occurred in the presence of teachers.
When a female teacher tried to intervene she was assaulted by the learners and had a school desk thrown at her.
A Grade 9 and a Grade 10 learner was stabbed and injured in the Thursday morning incident.
Other schools involved
It was also reported that some of the perpetrators involved in the stabbings were not from Indwe, but attend other schools in the area.
The KwaNonqaba Police confiscated several dangerous weapons. They also traced the vehicle that was used to distribute the weapons and arrested those involved. Several people were arrested for both stabbing incidents. The station commissioner of the KwaNonqaba Police, Lieut-Col Azisa Madongana met with the school principal, who was not at the school at the time of the incident on Thursday last week to address the situation and discuss measures to halt the violence. On Friday morning last week, KwaNonqaba Police spokesperson Sgt Kappie Kapp reported that learners and educators at times refused to enter classes, which lead to a tense atmosphere. The public order police unit from George will, if necessary, be activated going forward to intervene.
Action taken
During this week, the KwaNonqaba Police launched several operations at the school to curb the violence, confiscate any dangerous weapons and to identify the perpetrators.
On Wednesday, Western Cape Education Department commented that the situation at Indwe Secondary School is "quiet at the moment.
Educators and learners are in class. The police are visible every morning and are conducting random searches on learners," said communications director, Bronagh Hammond. Hammond confirmed that learners involved in the incidents at the school last week have been suspended and are due to face a disciplinary hearing next week. According to Hammond, meetings between the school, staff and CED have been held where the following has been discussed:
• Discipline procedures - the role of the disciplinary committee and SGB
• The roles and responsibilities of the School Safety Committee
• Access control and physical safety measures
• Trauma support for educators and learners
• Search and seizures
"We are thankful for the police's support during this period. The incidents are allegedly gang related. Gang related incidents in the community are now spilling over into the school," Hammond concluded. Earlier, the department did not respond to the questions specifically posed on what was recently done to improve safety and security at this school as several stabbings have been reported in the recent past, what the long term planning is to improve safety for both learners and teachers on school grounds, nor what the long term plan is to eradicate the influence of gangsterism at this school.
Some weapons seem to be handmade.
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