IFP MEMBERS STATEMENT
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

MS CONNIE ZIKALALA MP



 

29 May 2007  

Madame Speaker,

Two separate incidents of violence in our schools over the past two weeks serve to highlight the increasing problems that we are facing with regard to criminal behaviour in our schools.

In the Western Cape, a grade 9 pupil has been killed after he was stabbed with a pair of scissors by a classmate at a school in Eerste River on Monday. A seventeen year old boy has been arrested and will be charged with murder.

At a Durban high school in KwaZulu Natal, last Thursday, two grade 11 boys were beaten by fellow learners in an alleged racist attack. The parents of one of the beaten boys have called upon the Education Department to launch an investigation into racism at the school as well as the manner in which the school has handled the racism. This is the second alleged racist attack at the school in the past month.

Violent and criminal behaviour in our schools is spiralling out of control, and we all seem to be at a loss regarding how to deal with, and stop, this disturbing behaviour. Drastic measures have got to be taken soon if we are to save our schools from lawlessness and provide an environment that is safe and conducive for learning. The department must make this a priority.

THANK YOU.