Fear over pupil’s snake threat

MOOIPLAAS police detained a 13-year-old boy yesterday after he took a snake to school and allegedly threatened to harm other pupils and his teachers.

The boy, who cannot be named because of his age, attends Haga Haga Extension School.

Acting school principal Yoliswa Dayimani said the boy had said he used the snake for various “bad” things and she was a target.

“ Earlier this year I told him to cut his hair and apparently he was not happy with that. We had to call the police,” said Dayimani.

Eastern Cape department of education spokesman, Mali Mtima, confirmed the incident.

Dayimani said the school had started normally yesterday until the teenager asked a female classmate to sit next to him.

Once she was there, he asked her to open a lunch box which he said was full of biscuits.

“The next minute the girl screamed as a snake crawled out of the box. It was a scary moment for everyone and we all ran outside,” said Dayimani.

The boy later came out of the class speaking an unknown language. The other pupils screamed and teachers had to call a bus driver to help. One of the teachers, Zoliswa Maroqo , said they were concerned for the Grade 1 pupils.

“This boy is in Grade 5 and we were worried that the snake could escape. A bus driver had to keep him inside the school premises while we called the police,” said Maroqo.

Policetook him to the police station where he was held until social workers could assist.

Speaking to the Daily Dispatch at the police station yesterday, the boy said he had brought the snake to the school “to use it”. He said he got the snake from someone in Gonubie. Acting principal Dayimani said they had called his parents. — /