The Democratic Alliance (DA) has strongly condemned the stabbing of a learner at Ladysmith Secondary School (LASEC).
The incident which took place on 11 November, has parents everywhere in a frenzy due to the increased frequency of violent incidents happening in schools across the province. DA Spokesperson on Education, Dr Imraan Keeka, said that the party will now be writing to the KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Education, Kwazi Mshengu, calling on him to investigate the matter fully so that lapses are identified. “The DA is shocked by this horrific incident. Regrettably, it is not the first school stabbing that has made headlines nationally during the last few weeks. This learner escaped with his life and that nobody else was injured is a miracle,” said Dr Keeka.
He further stated that this incident has highlighted the problem of inadequate school security and that several recommendations were put forward in 2019 when KZN’s school security programme was being discussed. At the time, we also called for schools that could afford to install their own CCTV systems to do so given the important role they play in providing evidence when unfortunate events occur. Had this been the case at Ladysmith Secondary, this ghastly incident could have been avoided,” said Dr Keeka.
Oversight inspections by the DA – even those conducted recently – have shown just how easy it is to enter school premises on simple pretences. The same visits have also exposed the lack of properly trained personnel as well as severe capacity issues when it comes to security, even in areas where gangs are known to be operating. “In the case of schools where security companies are service providers, the DA’s oversights have not shown a single instance where security guards have access to an urgent communication channel in the case of a major incident,” said Dr Keeka.
The DA has welcomed the swift response by SAPS in this instance. “We sincerely hope that they will soon track down the thugs responsible for this horrendous crime. Our schools must be safe places of teaching and learning. This requires a collaborative effort from all stakeholders including our communities who can help identify those criminals involved,” said Dr Keeka.
He reiterated that the DA remains committed to monitoring the outcome of this probe.
