Parents say department inaction left pupils at risk after Lesseyton stabbings
Angry parents at Ndlovukazi High in Lesseyton, near Komani, have accused the Eastern Cape education department of failing to protect learners after three pupils were stabbed on the school premises in an incident that police described as faction fighting.
Police spokesperson Captain Yolisa Mgolodela confirmed Komani police responded to the scene and that emergency rescue services were called to provide first aid and transport the injured to hospital. According to Mgolodela, one of the victims refused medical treatment, would not be taken to hospital and declined to open a case. Police are highly visible on the school premises and, at the time of reporting, no further incidents had been recorded, she said.
“Komani police were summoned and swiftly responded to the call. Seeing the extent of the injuries sustained by the victims, the emergency rescue service team was called to give first aid assistance and further take the injured to hospital,” Captain Yolisa Mgolodela said.
Governance tensions: SGB says expulsions were recommended
The school governing body (SGB), represented by chair Unathi Mlindazwe, told reporters the latest stabbing follows months of unrest at the school. Mlindazwe said the SGB proposed the expulsion of specific pupils identified as being behind repeated violent incidents in March, but he alleged the education department had not acted on that recommendation.
“I am just fed up with what is happening in our school. We are not happy and the people who are failing us is the department of education and I stand by that,” Mlindazwe said. He added that parents were particularly concerned because one of the three pupils involved is in Grade 12 and pupils are sitting trial examinations.
What happened in the incident
The exact cause of the fight remains unclear. Mlindazwe said he had been told the incident may have involved a hat and a cellphone that had been taken, though he said children were not telling the truth about the circumstances.
- Location: Ndlovukazi High, Lesseyton (near Komani)
- Number injured: Three pupils
- Nature of incident: Reported faction fighting; alleged stabbing by fellow pupils
- SGB action: Recommended expulsions in March for pupils identified as responsible
- Police response: On-site, emergency services called; at least one victim refused hospital treatment and to open a case
| Detail | Reported |
|---|---|
| School | Ndlovukazi High |
| Area | Lesseyton (Komani) |
| Pupils stabbed | 3 |
| SGB recommendation | Expulsions (March) |
Wider implications for learners and the community
Parents said the sustained violence is eroding confidence in the schooling environment and undermining learners’ chances, especially for Grade 12 pupils approaching or writing trial examinations. The SGB’s allegation that the department has not implemented recommended expulsions raises questions about the speed and adequacy of provincial responses to school-based violence.
While police have increased visibility at the school, the refusal by at least one victim to accept medical treatment or open a case complicates efforts to investigate and hold suspects accountable. That dynamic — victims reluctant to engage with formal processes — is common in school-based violence and can hamper law enforcement and disciplinary measures.
Parents continue to demand decisive action from the education department to remove learners they say are a danger to others and to restore a learning environment where pupils, particularly those preparing for matric, can study without fear.
At the time of publication provincial education officials had not provided a response to the SGB’s allegation that expulsion recommendations remain unacted on.
Local residents and parents should expect continued police visibility at the school while stakeholders seek clarity from the education department on the status of the SGB’s disciplinary recommendations.
