Cape Town - A mother is at her wits’ end, saying she is disappointed that the teenager who stabbed her 14-year-old son with a pair of scissors was not expelled from the school.
She said her son was attacked at Florida School of Skills in Ruyterwacht on April 24.
“I opened a criminal case at Elsies River police station two weeks ago when the incident happened and the 17-year-old attacker has not been arrested – and now the school and Department of Education has allowed him back into school.
“On April 24, my 14-year-old, who is in Level 1, was stabbed in his back with a pair of scissors by a 17-year-old learner in Level 3 at about 7.40am on school premises,” the mom said.
“This started the previous day during the second break. My son and his friends were playing rugby when the ball accidentally bounced against the 17-year-old boy’s leg.
“Upon my son apologising, the learner asked his friends for scissors, which they refused. My son grabbed the ball and ran to continue playing.
“The following morning, just before school, my son was talking with his friends when he felt a sharp pain in his back, and saw that the suspect had walked behind him.
“While lifting his clothes for his friends to check, they told my son that there was blood flowing from his back.
“The attacker then came closer to look and my son asked him what he had stabbed him with, his reply was, ‘a scissor’ and he walked away.”
She said the 14-year-old was rushed to hospital.
“When I arrived, my son’s wound was being stitched. We then went to Elsies River Day Hospital for X-rays as the doctor at Ruyterwacht Day Hospital was concerned about my son’s lung.
“Meanwhile, the school principal called the police about the incident.”
The Mitchells Plain mom said there was a hearing at the school last week.
“My son has not been to school since, as he is scared of going back. My son has dyslexia and now suffers from anxiety and sweats profusely.”
Police spokesperson FC van Wyk said a case of assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm was registered. “No arrest has been made yet as investigations continue,” he said.
Western Cape Education Department spokesperson Millicent Merton said the 17-year-old learner was suspended and is not back at school. “A disciplinary hearing scheduled for yesterday (May 8) had to be postponed.”
mandilakhe.tshwete@inl.co.za
Cape Argus