The murder of 18-year-old Humansdorp Secondary School pupil Liyolo Wakeni should frighten every parent and teacher.
Family members have described him as a well-mannered youngster who had a bright future ahead of him.
According to police, a brawl broke out between pupils on the school premises at about 8.15am on Tuesday.
Liyolo was stabbed and declared dead at the scene.
Within hours, six teenage pupils were arrested. They were questioned and later charged in connection with the murder.
The tragedy is a stark example of what can happen when a place of safety becomes a theatre of violence.
What makes it worse is that it could have been prevented.
Days before Tuesday’s killing, another child was stabbed at the same school.
Yet no decisive action was taken. The suspects returned to class as if nothing had happened.
School governing body chair Ben Ruiters said the alarm had been raised on Friday, when the earlier stabbing took place.
“We were not told anything, but when we heard, one of our members checked, and the principal subsequently informed me that this had indeed happened, and they had called the police and an ambulance.
“The boy was being treated in hospital and police were investigating,” he said.
Despite this, the alleged attackers were not barred from school or even called into the principal’s office.
The warning signs were ignored, and the worst possible outcome followed.
This is not an isolated case. Reports of gangsterism, bullying and weapon-wielding pupils have plagued Humansdorp schools for years.
Teachers and governing bodies cannot — and should not — be left to carry the burden alone.
Words of outrage from politicians mean little if not matched with action.
Parents must also play their part, as discipline begins at home.
Police, education authorities and communities must confront these challenges head-on, before another life is lost.
The Herald
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