Note to Editors: Please find the attached soundbites in English and Setswana from the DA North West Provincial Deputy Chairperson, Councillor Kagiso Mangwejane, during their visit to Madibogo.
Today the Democratic Alliance (DA) Deputy Provincial Chairperson, Councillor Kagiso Mangwejane, visited the family of 17-year-old high school learner, Aobakwe Otukile, who was killed in a feud between two groups of learners in Geysdorp.
According to reports, a fight broke out at Geysdorp Secondary School between learners from Madibogo and Geysdorp village.
The DA would like to send out condolences to the Otukile family for their loss, our thoughts are with them during this difficult time of mourning.
The family informed the DA that there has been no communication or any form of support that has been offered to them by the North West Department of Education.
We cannot allow Aobakwe’s death to become another statistic of learner violence in the province.
The DA reiterates calls to the North West Department of Education to establish and implement a comprehensive and integrated safety policy at schools involving stakeholders such as the police and community-based organizations.
The Department of Education must also establish a policy that assists teachers and school principals to identify and deal with issues of ill-discipline and learners who are prone to violence to address the challenges before they escalate even further.
Issues that pertain to learner safety must never be dealt with when there are incidents that occur, there is a need for continuous and proactive actions to provide learner safety at schools.
It is time that the ANC government prioritise the safety of learners. Our children deserve to learn in a conducive and safe learning environment.