Gauteng Education MEC, Barbara Creecy, appealed to principals, educators and parents to take reports of bullying seriously. MEC Creecy was speaking after she visited Phineas Xulu Secondary School in Vosloorus this morning following the fatal shooting on Tuesday morning.
“I would want to make an appeal to all principals, educators and parents in this province: if you are aware that bullying is taking place at a school or have a complaint from your children, please take these instances seriously.
Please bring in anti-bullying programmes in the school and take disciplinary measures against those that are considered to be perpetrators. If, as a parent you are not getting support from the system or if as a principal you are confronted with a situation you cannot contain, please contact us for help.
All of us have to accept that instances of school bulling are very, very serious. This incident shows that it is inappropriate to suggest to children that they should ‘man up’ because we may not like the way they ‘man up’ and deal with incidents. So please principals, educators and parents, let’s act together concertedly to deal with bullying in our schools,” MEC Creecy said.
MEC Creecy explained that there were two sides to the intervention at the school. Firstly, it is to provide humanitarian support to the affected families, and secondly, to provide interventions to help the schooling community.
“We want to ensure that the deceased is buried with dignity. The school will be holding a memorial service on Friday to honour the young person who lost his life,” Creecy said.
The MEC has been in contact with centres that deal with child law and child justice to provide legal support to the family of the suspect.
The second part of the intervention is the schooling community, looking at what has happened, and how to help the school going forward. An independent investigation is currently under way to look at the facts surrounding this incident, the role of the school and its management, as well as what could have contributed to the fatal incident. Patrollers have been brought to the school to ensure that there is order and improve security. The police have been asked to patrol the school surroundings.
“I have requested the district to support the School Governing Body in terms of bringing disciplinary charges against three learners who have been accused on an ongoing basis of being involved in disruptive behaviour,” MEC Creecy said.
The MEC had asked for an urgent meeting with the MEC for Community Safety to discuss ways of limiting learner access to police revolvers.
“Yesterday, I met with Community Safety MEC Faith Mazibuko. She informed me that there is an internal investigation in the SAPS into how a police service revolver is alleged to have been used in this killing. In addition, they are looking at how the young man came to be in possession of this revolver and whether the regulations regarding safeguarding of police revolvers were being adhered to.
She has also assured me that they will communicate with SAPS members to make sure that regulations regarding the safekeeping of police weapons are being adhered to. She will be supporting us in search and seizures in this school,” MEC Creecy said.
The matric exams continued uninterrupted throughout the week and the school is making alternative arrangements for learners to write their internal examinations.
Enquiries:
Charles Phahlane
Tel: 011 355 1530
Cell: 071 860 4496
