Pretoria – The Gauteng Department of Education on Friday said counselling is being provided to learners and teachers at Lesiba Secondary School in Daveyton after a Grade 10 learner allegedly fatally shot a fellow Grade 10 learner, before turning the gun on himself.
Gauteng Education spokesperson Steve Mabona told TV channel Newzroom Afrika that the tragic incident happened outside the school premises.
“We are also having the situation where we don’t understand what would have transpired, what kind of a quarrel that could lead someone to go to an extent of using a firearm and taking his life as well. We will leave it to the police, because they have already started with their investigation.
“Probably we will know what might have transpired. The incident occurred outside school premises. There is no way a learner would bring a firearm in our school premises because we normally, working very closely with the police, do random searches,” Mabona said.
The two 16-year-old boys died on the first day of school – Wednesday, January 12.
On Friday, Mabona said the school was operating, with the counselling services being provided.
“What we are doing is to provide necessary counselling, which we have already started with. Remember, there are those that would have been very close to both learners, and also some educators would have been very close to them after teaching them throughout the years. We normally provide that professional assistance,” he said.
In another incident, the Gauteng department of education said a 49-year-old general assistant was gunned down on school premises in Soweto, south of Johannesburg on Thursday.
The general assistant was allegedly gunned down at Kwa-Phalo Primary School in Meadowlands, and he was declared dead by paramedics on the scene.
“It is unfortunate to learn of such a tragic incident involving one of our dedicated general assistants. As the department, we send our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones, and we plead with police authorities to ensure that justice is served in this case,” Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi said.
In a separate incident, two Grade 12 learners were injured when their scholar transport bus was involved in an accident in Randfontein on the West Rand on Thursday.
According to a statement from the education department, the incident occurred while the learners were being transported to different schools.
Two Grade 12 learners who were travelling to Phahama Secondary School and Thuto Lehakwe Secondary School sustained injuries and were taken to a local medical facility where their condition was being monitored.
IOL