By Kouthar Sambo

Two high schools in the Mitchells Plain area are making the rounds on Whatsapp for all the wrong reasons as a video is being circulated showing two learners, one from Rocklands High and one from Mondale High engaging in a fight with other threats of violence between the two schools being shown up as well.

The Chairperson of the Mitchells Plain Community Police Forum (CPF) Norman Jankies says according to South African Police Services (SAPS), the schools involved in the conflict are the Rocklands High School in Rocklands and Mondale High School in Mitchells Plain. He went on to say that the SAPS Sector Commander of the area was stationed at Mondale High School until it closes.

“I think schools need to focus on life skills training for their kids, conflict management, and bullying. A parent sends a child to school – not to be involved in crime and to be bullied or to bully others. I think the school as a whole should get together and address this problem seriously. The Department of Education also has to play a vital role to ensure a safe situation. There is no way that school violence should just be addressed by law enforcement agencies.”

Jankies further elaborated on the importance of schools conducting random searches on learners as part of the mitigation strategies.

“We are very worried about the escalating violence at our schools. It’s a very sad situation because even young girls and boys are involved, so we need to remind the schools to develop a safety plan if they haven’t done it yet and involve the parents as well as local neighborhood watches,” Jankies reiterated.

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