A fight between matriculants at a Mthatha high school broke out this week during a farewell party.The trouble began after male students from a Grade 12 class at Zamukulungisa Junior Secondary School (JSS) in Qweqwe village attempted to gatecrash an end-of-year party organised by their female classmates who had invited boys from another Grade 12 class.
The uninvited pupils smashed doors and windows after they were barred from entering and the pupils inside locked themselves in and tried to stop those on the outside entering. The group outside set duvets and bed sheets alight and the violence only subsided after security guards, community volunteers and teachers were summoned.
No one was injured, but damage was estimated at R5000 and the pupils’ parents have been ordered to repair what was broken.
The pupils involved were aged between 16 and 19 and mostly live in townships surrounding Mthatha.
Deputy principal Lonwabo Sijaji said the incident occurred around 9pm on Sunday, November 15.
He said there was a scourge of drug abuse at the school with young female teachers living in fear of male pupils who get high on dagga and tik before attending classes.
Sijaji believes the high rate of drug use led to promiscuity and said at least six female pupils were forced to skip lessons after falling pregnant this year.
“They say drugs give them stamina for studying. Apparently it’s fashionable and if you don’t use them you are backward. So to get recognition you must use drugs and have as many girlfriends who will even fight over you,” said Sijaji.
He said ill-discipline at the school was a headache for teachers and drug awareness and safe sex education awareness campaigns by various government departments including the SAPS, had come to nought.
The pupils are also well-known for breaking into traditional songs and running amok during the evenings.
“Dagga makes them insane. It’s a crisis,” he said.
A female pupil who attended the party but requested to remain anonymous, said school principal Samkelo Dawedi threatened to withhold their final matric exam results unless they paid for the damage. “We wrote under pressure and he (Dawedi) told us writing exams was not a right but a privilege. Some of us did not finish writing.”
But Sijaji accused the pupils of lying saying they had enough time.
The Saturday Dispatch spoke to the uncle of one of the pupils involved in the violence while he inspected the damage.
Sandile Mcetywa said he was not surprised at the fracas. “Our children are a law unto themselves because they have rights,” he said.
Education spokesman Mali Mtima said they would investigate the matter and institute disciplinary action against those found guilty. — loyisom@dispatch.co.za
JSS matric pupils run amok
The trouble began after male students from a Grade 12 class at Zamukulungisa Junior Secondary School (JSS) in Qweqwe village attempted to gatecrash an end-of-year party organised by their female classmates who had invited boys from another Grade 12 class.
The uninvited pupils smashed doors and windows after they were barred from entering and the pupils inside locked themselves in and tried to stop those on the outside entering. The group outside set duvets and bed sheets alight and the violence only subsided after security guards, community volunteers and teachers were summoned.
No one was injured, but damage was estimated at R5000 and the pupils’ parents have been ordered to repair what was broken.
The pupils involved were aged between 16 and 19 and mostly live in townships surrounding Mthatha.
Deputy principal Lonwabo Sijaji said the incident occurred around 9pm on Sunday, November 15.
He said there was a scourge of drug abuse at the school with young female teachers living in fear of male pupils who get high on dagga and tik before attending classes.
Sijaji believes the high rate of drug use led to promiscuity and said at least six female pupils were forced to skip lessons after falling pregnant this year.
“They say drugs give them stamina for studying. Apparently it’s fashionable and if you don’t use them you are backward. So to get recognition you must use drugs and have as many girlfriends who will even fight over you,” said Sijaji.
He said ill-discipline at the school was a headache for teachers and drug awareness and safe sex education awareness campaigns by various government departments including the SAPS, had come to nought.
The pupils are also well-known for breaking into traditional songs and running amok during the evenings.
“Dagga makes them insane. It’s a crisis,” he said.
A female pupil who attended the party but requested to remain anonymous, said school principal Samkelo Dawedi threatened to withhold their final matric exam results unless they paid for the damage. “We wrote under pressure and he (Dawedi) told us writing exams was not a right but a privilege. Some of us did not finish writing.”
But Sijaji accused the pupils of lying saying they had enough time.
The Saturday Dispatch spoke to the uncle of one of the pupils involved in the violence while he inspected the damage.
Sandile Mcetywa said he was not surprised at the fracas. “Our children are a law unto themselves because they have rights,” he said.
Education spokesman Mali Mtima said they would investigate the matter and institute disciplinary action against those found guilty. — loyisom@dispatch.co.za
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