The Western Cape Education Department has dispelled rumours of an alleged stabbing at a Rocklands high school.
Last week a video went viral on social media showing an altercation between two Cedar High School of the Arts pupils on Wednesday February 15.
Department spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said: “There are a lot of rumours going around which are false.”
She said that the WCED were aware of the video of a fight that broke out at the school and that it was not gang-related.
“The fight is with regards to an ongoing disciplinary issue with one of the learners, for alleged inappropriate conduct towards other learners,” she said.
The pupil was confronted last week, after allegations were raised about his behaviour towards another female pupil, she said, and a fight broke out with other pupils participating in the fight.
“This fight involved Grade 10 and 11 learners. The leaner was allegedly ‘scraped’ with a pen – it was not a ‘stabbing’ as reported,” said Ms Hammond.
Principal Belinda Groeneveldt told the Plainsman on Monday February 20 that the wound was superficial and that he received medical assistance at school.
She said that both boys were suspended pending a disciplinary hearing.
Yesterday Tuesday February 21, the school had another a cluster safe school planning programme, in line with the WCED’s nine-point safe school planning process, which should be implemented at schools to develop a community-orientated problem-solving culture (“M’Plain schools form safety cluster”, Plainsman August 10).
The programme includes community organisations and schools working towards safer learning environments.
Ms Groeneveldt called on community organisations to volunteer their services to help the school to deal with issues of personal space; conflict resolution; to raise awareness about how to behave in public; and workshops on parenting.
