A heavily armed high school pupil, who allegedly arrived at school and attacked his principal while demanding to be passed into the next grade has ended up in the dock.
The 21-year-old accused had arrived at his Port St Johns school on Monday, allegedly carrying an unlicensed firearm.
He was arrested on Monday morning after arriving at Majali Technical High School armed with a home-made pump-action gun and a huge knife, which he reportedly used to attack principal Mkhuseli Fikizolo.
The youth was granted bail of R400 after appearing in the Port St Johns Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
Visited by the Dispatch at the school in Majola Village, Fikizolo said: “ “I am not 100% okay. I still have flashbacks.”
Port St Johns police spokeswoman Captain Nozuko Handile confirmed that a pupil had been arrested for possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.
She said a pupil had gone to school and allegedly demanded to be promoted to the next grade.
“He locked the gates and went to the principal’s office. The principal called teachers and they disarmed him and called the police.”
Fikizolo said they were busy with admissions on Monday when he walked out of his office and stumbled upon someone carrying a gun.
“He was wearing a full school uniform. I recognised that it was one of the pupils at school. He was doing Grade 11 last year.”
The pupil had failed the grade several times, including last year.
Fikizolo said he had immediately tried to grab him and they struggled to the ground.
He was not aware the pupil was also carrying a knife.
The pupil allegedly managed to take it out and tried to cut him, but was holding the wrong side of the weapon.
“He asked why he was always failing at school.”
Fikizolo, with the help of teachers, managed to restrain the young man using his school tie, and later called the police.
He said he knew the pupil as “very problematic and lacking in discipline”. They wanted the department of education to provide trained security guards.
He said the school was plagued by drug abuse among its pupils
Majali High school governing body chairman Mkhokhelwa Ntsilani said they were shocked and pained by the events.
He said there were rumours doing rounds in the village that a pupil had been plotting to cause a disruption at the school for some time.
“We want to call a meeting with the parents and want to involve traditional leaders in this matter,” he said.
Eastern Cape provincial education spokesman Mali Mtima yesterday appealed to pupils never to resort to violence, saying they condemned Monday’s attack in the strongest possible terms.
He urged parents to play an active role in the education of their children, saying their involvement with their children would assist their children to make informed decisions. — sikhon@dispatch.co.za
Pupil in dock after armed attack at school
The 21-year-old accused had arrived at his Port St Johns school on Monday, allegedly carrying an unlicensed firearm.
He was arrested on Monday morning after arriving at Majali Technical High School armed with a home-made pump-action gun and a huge knife, which he reportedly used to attack principal Mkhuseli Fikizolo.
The youth was granted bail of R400 after appearing in the Port St Johns Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
Visited by the Dispatch at the school in Majola Village, Fikizolo said: “ “I am not 100% okay. I still have flashbacks.”
Port St Johns police spokeswoman Captain Nozuko Handile confirmed that a pupil had been arrested for possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition.
She said a pupil had gone to school and allegedly demanded to be promoted to the next grade.
“He locked the gates and went to the principal’s office. The principal called teachers and they disarmed him and called the police.”
Fikizolo said they were busy with admissions on Monday when he walked out of his office and stumbled upon someone carrying a gun.
“He was wearing a full school uniform. I recognised that it was one of the pupils at school. He was doing Grade 11 last year.”
The pupil had failed the grade several times, including last year.
Fikizolo said he had immediately tried to grab him and they struggled to the ground.
He was not aware the pupil was also carrying a knife.
The pupil allegedly managed to take it out and tried to cut him, but was holding the wrong side of the weapon.
“He asked why he was always failing at school.”
Fikizolo, with the help of teachers, managed to restrain the young man using his school tie, and later called the police.
He said he knew the pupil as “very problematic and lacking in discipline”. They wanted the department of education to provide trained security guards.
He said the school was plagued by drug abuse among its pupils
Majali High school governing body chairman Mkhokhelwa Ntsilani said they were shocked and pained by the events.
He said there were rumours doing rounds in the village that a pupil had been plotting to cause a disruption at the school for some time.
“We want to call a meeting with the parents and want to involve traditional leaders in this matter,” he said.
Eastern Cape provincial education spokesman Mali Mtima yesterday appealed to pupils never to resort to violence, saying they condemned Monday’s attack in the strongest possible terms.
He urged parents to play an active role in the education of their children, saying their involvement with their children would assist their children to make informed decisions. — sikhon@dispatch.co.za
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