Durban – A teenager has been arrested after he allegedly set a car alight at a KwaZulu-Natal school earlier this week.
A spokesperson for Mountain Rise SAPS, Warrant Officer Pancheal Singh, said the Grade 10 learner was arrested on Thursday night.
“He was released into the care of his guardian. He is due in court on September 14 and faces a charge of malicious injury to property,” he said.
The boy, a pupil at Northbury Secondary School, allegedly poured petrol on the deputy principal’s Hyundai i30 after she chastised him for having a cellphone at school, which is against the school’s policy. The cellphone was also confiscated.
The Department of Education, the DA and teacher union Naptosa, have condemned the attack.
“If schools have a no-cellphone policy, parents must ensure that they play their part to avoid incidents such as this, which appears to be nothing more than pure, distilled criminality,” said DA spokesperson for Education, Dr Imran Keeka.
The South African Council for Educators called on the local authorities, parents and communities to deal with the increasing violence against teachers.
“The rights and dignity of teachers must be respected at all times because their rights are human rights too,” the council said.
IOL