Mpumalanga Police
By Mpho Moloi
Mpumalanga police are investigating the stabbing incident that led to the death of a grade 8 pupil from Senzangakhona Secondary School, with the provincial education department extending condolences to the bereaved family and school community as investigations continue into the tragic event that unfolded after school hours.
KwaMhlanga – Mpumalanga police are investigating the stabbing incident that led to the death of a grade 8 pupil from Senzangakhona Secondary School, with the provincial education department extending condolences to the bereaved family and school community as investigations continue into the tragic event that unfolded after school hours. The 13-year-old victim was allegedly murdered by another grade 8 pupil on Thursday, 14 August 2025, around 3 PM while the two were en route home from school in Mandela Village, KwaMhlanga. Emergency services were called by a teacher, but the teenager was declared dead at the scene. The suspect, also a 13-year-old from the same school, was arrested shortly after the incident, highlighting the growing concern over learner-on-learner violence in South African schools, where stabbings and fights have become alarmingly common in recent years. Provincial education spokesperson Gerald Sambo described the circumstances as unclear but under active probe, urging calm as the community grapples with the loss.
Details of the Tragic Incident
The stabbing occurred shortly after classes ended at Senzangakhona Secondary School, a public institution serving learners from grades 8 to 12 in the rural KwaMhlanga area, known for its challenges with poverty and limited resources. According to initial reports, the two pupils were walking home together when an altercation escalated, leading one to allegedly stab the other multiple times with a sharp object, believed to be a knife smuggled into school premises. Eyewitnesses, including fellow learners, described a chaotic scene as the victim collapsed on the roadside, prompting nearby residents to alert school staff.
A teacher from the school quickly responded and summoned emergency medical services (EMS), but paramedics pronounced the boy dead upon arrival due to severe blood loss and internal injuries. The suspect fled briefly but was apprehended by police within hours, thanks to tips from the community and school authorities. He is currently in custody at a juvenile facility, facing charges of murder, with his first court appearance scheduled for next week in the KwaMhlanga Magistrate’s Court. Under South African law, minors under 14 are presumed not criminally responsible, but prosecutors can rebut this based on evidence of intent and understanding.
This incident adds to a disturbing pattern of school violence in Mpumalanga and across the country. In February 2025, two learners were stabbed at a dysfunctional school in Sundra near Delmas, surviving the attack but exposing ongoing issues with discipline and safety. Similarly, in August 2025, an 18-year-old was arrested in Mamelodi East for murdering another learner, and earlier reports from Kinbu Senior High Technical School detailed a classroom stabbing that killed a 17-year-old. Nationally, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) reported over 1,000 incidents of violence in schools in 2024, with stabbings accounting for 20 percent, often linked to bullying, gang influences, or disputes carried over from home environments.
Police and Education Department Response
Mpumalanga police have launched a full investigation, with forensic teams examining the scene for evidence, including the weapon and any witnesses’ statements. Provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Semakaleng Manamela has assigned a dedicated team from the Family Violence, Child Protection, and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit to handle the case sensitively, given the young ages involved. “We are treating this as a priority to uncover the motives and ensure justice for the victim’s family,” a police source said, noting that counselling is being provided to the suspect as well.
The provincial department of education, through spokesperson Gerald Sambo, confirmed the details and expressed profound grief. “The circumstances leading to this tragic event remain unclear and are currently under investigation by law enforcement authorities. The department extends its deepest condolences to the bereaved family, friends, classmates, and the entire school community during this time of immense grief.” Sambo added that psychosocial support teams have been deployed to Senzangakhona Secondary School, offering trauma counselling to learners and staff traumatised by the loss. Classes were suspended on Friday, 15 August 2025, to allow for mourning and safety assessments.
Education MEC Bonakele Majuba visited the school on Thursday evening, meeting with parents and teachers to discuss preventive measures. “This is a heartbreaking reminder of the violence plaguing our schools. We must work together to foster safe learning environments,” Majuba said, announcing plans for enhanced security, including bag searches and anti-bullying programmes.
Broader Context of School Violence in South Africa
School stabbings have surged in recent years, with Mpumalanga reporting 15 such incidents in 2025 alone, up from 10 in 2024. Nationally, the South African Council for Educators (SACE) noted over 500 cases of learner violence in the first half of 2025, often involving weapons smuggled past lax security. Factors include socioeconomic pressures, gang recruitment in townships, and inadequate mental health support. In KwaMhlanga, a semi-rural area with high unemployment (over 40 percent), youth turn to violence amid limited recreational facilities and family breakdowns.
The DBE’s School Safety Framework, implemented in 2023, mandates metal detectors and peer mediation, but funding shortages hinder rollout in under-resourced schools like Senzangakhona. Child rights organisations like Save the Children South Africa have called for urgent interventions, including life skills education and community policing forums. “These tragedies are preventable with early warning systems and support,” said spokesperson Thandi Makhubele.
Similar cases underscore the crisis: In January 2018, pupils at Senzangakhona mourned a murdered schoolmate, and in August 2008, a pupil died from a stabbing at the same school, indicating persistent issues. Across South Africa, incidents like the Mamelodi stabbing in August 2025 and the Sundra attack in February highlight a national epidemic, with experts linking it to post-COVID trauma and inequality.
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