15 hours ago
‘Who is next?' Murdered Pretoria pupil's aunt urges action against school bullying
Supplied/GDE
The aunt of a Grade 11 pupil, who was killed outside Lesedi Secondary School in Pretoria, has called for greater vigilance against bullying.
Lethabo Mokonyane, 19, was stabbed on Tuesday, allegedly by two fellow pupils who had skipped school.
Shelly Mokonyane urged pupils, parents, and the government to act decisively to ensure schools are safe.
Shelly Mokonyane - whose nephew, Lethabo Mokonyane, 19, was killed allegedly by fellow pupils outside Lesedi Secondary School in Pretoria on Tuesday - has called on pupils to report bullying rather than remain silent.
Speaking to the media outside the school on Friday, Mokonyane said:
It is because of bullying that Lethabo is gone. Who is next?
'I am calling on our government to strengthen its stance against bullying because sending a child to school has now become a parent's worst fear. Schools are no longer safe. When a child leaves for school, they might not come back.'
While the circumstances surrounding Lethabo's death are unclear, a report by the Department of Education stated that two pupils skipped school on the day and only returned after the school day ended.
According to the department, they were wearing balaclavas when they allegedly attacked Lethabo.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo said two 19-year-old pupils had been arrested and were expected to appear in the Bronkhorstspruit Magistrate's Court soon.
Mokonyane added that violence had no place in school.
'Schools should not be a place of hate. Children who cannot resolve their problems should take the matter to teachers so it can be resolved with love.
'When you send a child to school, you expect them to come home, not to receive a phone call telling you that they have been stabbed.'
She encouraged parents to be involved in their children's well-being and collaborate with teachers.
'Parents should visit schools regularly to inquire about their children's wellbeing, especially when they notice a change in their behaviour. This can help parents and teachers work together to identify things that bother our children.
'These are our kids. We love them.'
Mokonyane described Lethabo as a handsome, reserved teenager who loved technology and was a loner.
Education MEC Matome Chiloane, who visited the school and the victim's family, said the department had requested police assistance at 75 hotspot schools to curb violence occurring outside school premises.
Supplied/GDE
Supplied/GDE
Lesedi Secondary was one of those schools.
Chiloane said the agreement was for the police to dispatch a vehicle to schools in the mornings and afternoons.
He said:
I do believe that if a police vehicle was present, as agreed, the incident might have been prevented. Things would have turned out differently.
He urged bullied pupils to speak up.
