MEDIA STATEMENT

TO: ALL MEDIA
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: 16 AUGUST 2023

ELDORADO PARK LEARNER STABBED DURING COMMIITTEE OVERSIGHT VISIT

A learner was stabbed at Eldorado Park Secondary School yesterday while the Legislature’s Portfolio Committee on Community Safety together with the Education Committee were at the school on an unannounced oversight visit.

The joint unannounced oversight visit was part of the Committees’ Focus Intervention Study (FIS) on assessing the effectiveness of school safety interventions in fighting violence and crime in schools.

The Committees had to adjourn their meeting with the Principal and School Management Team to allow them to speedily attend to the incident.

The learner was allegedly stabbed by an illegal intruder at the school, who fled the scene after the incident. He was promptly stabilized and rushed to a near-by health care facility.

“The incident highlights the scourge of violence and criminality that exists in some Gauteng schools, which prompted the FIS that the two Committees are engaged in,” said Committee Chairperson, Honourable Bandile Masuku .

During the visit, Committee members were shown multiple knives that were confiscated from learners. They also learned about a learner who brought a gun to school the previous day.

“Shocking incidents like these cannot be left unattended as they are not isolated cases and need urgent interventions by government and civil society. We will table the Committees’ findings and recommendations during a House Sitting and compel the Department of Education to act,” he continued.

On the 31 August 2023, the Committees will host a stakeholder engagement session bringing various experts together to come up with recommendations that will form part of the consolidated report for tabling at the House.

ISSUED BY GPL’S MEDIA SERVICES ON BEHALF OF CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON COMMUNITY SAFETY, HONOURABLE BANDILE MASUKU

For interview requests with the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee please contact: Mr Thebe Khumalo on 072 266 1021 email: TKhumalo@gpl.gov.za

GAUTENG PROVINCIAL LEGISLATURE