Jubilant pens down celebrations to mark the end of exams in Witsand, Atlantis, in the Western Cape have ended with the death of a 14-year-old boy.
Sikhusele Joel, a Grade 7 pupil at Kerria primary school was stabbed on Saturday around 2am at a tavern during the revelries.
His mother Nosipho Joel said she heard the dreadful news when a group of children came running to her house in the middle of the night to tell her that Sikhusele had been stabbed.
“I was asleep when some boys arrived at my house telling me my son had been stabbed and they couldn’t find a car to rush him to hospital.”
She said she immediately went to the scene but her son had already been rushed to hospital.
“We followed him to the hospital and were told that the doctor was still busy with him. Then, after a few minutes, he said he did everything he could to save my son, but he couldn’t.”
Nolufefe Mbombo, a community leader, told Scrolla.Africa that she tried to stop the planned pens down celebration.
“We had a similar problem two weeks ago and tried to intervene by asking tavern owners to close their taverns just for the pens down celebration day but that clearly has not happened.”
She added that she wanted to organise a programme that would keep the learners in one place, but said it failed as the issue became politicised.
Western Cape SAPS spokesperson Seargent Wesley Twigg said Atlantis police registered a murder case for investigation following the death of a 14-year-old boy who was stabbed.
“The victim was taken to a medical facility for treatment where he was declared deceased.”
The motive for the attack is yet to be determined. A 15-year-old boy was arrested in connection with the murder and will appear in the Atlantis Magistrate’s Court in the coming days.
Pictured above: Murdered Grade 7 learner Sikhusele Joel
Image source: Supplied
