Cape Town - Learning and teaching are expected to resume today at Gordon High School in Somerset West after a learner was stabbed to death on his way to school.
The 18-year-old matric learner Hlumisa Xaki was allegedly stabbed by his fellow learner while on his way to school in the morning and died at the scene.
Chaotic scenes were seen at the school as learners allegedly refused to return to classes and jumped over the school fence.
Police spokesperson Frederick Van Wyk said two suspects aged 14 and 18 were brought in for questioning and a murder docket was opened for further investigation.
Western Cape Education Department spokesperson Bronagh Hammond confirmed that the increased violence in the community as a result of alleged gang warfare had resulted in a loss of teaching and learning time. However, Hammond said the school would be open today.
She said the school learners were receiving the necessary counselling support and there was a high police presence and visibility.
Community leader Athi Ndwebi said gang fights had been happening for a while in the community, but it had been peaceful following a tragedy in December in which a young man was also brutally stabbed to death. Ndwebi said the two incidents were not related.
“This flare-up of violence between these two opposing groups of youths in the area has awakened a silent pandemic in that two months after a tragedy in which a youngster was stabbed to death there’s another incident.
“We can only imagine the mother’s worst nightmare, the early morning call and knock on the door, where she was informed that her son was lying somewhere, butchered with a knife.
“A promising young life has been cut short. The community and the leaders are sick and tired of the pandemic and violence happening in the community,” Ndwebi.
Ndwebi said the incident must be the last brutal death of a youngster in this community.
Somerset West CPF (Sir Lowry Pass representative) Sue Buckland said the CPF was dismayed at the senseless killing of Xaki.
“The community may have their differences, however they are united in the call that such incidents must stop. As these instances of violence happen around the Peninsula we ask ourselves what drives these young people at the beginning of their lives to turn into such brutal acts. Do they understand the consequences?” Buckland said.
Buckland said the CPF would work with the schools, parents, police and the City law enforcement to redress the imbalances in the lives of these youngsters.
“Many of the parents of these children have no income and some have one parent or none and they face an uncertain future. The two years break from school is also a factor, discipline has been forgotten. They have lost out on education,” she said.
mthuthuzeli.ntseku@inl.co.za