Geluksdal Secondary School pupils took the law into their own hands when, on Friday, they invaded and damaged the property of one of the suspects linked to a fellow learner’s death.
Geluksdal Secondary School mob attacks murder suspect’s home
On Friday, Ekurhuleni Metro police were summoned to a residence in Geluksdal, Brakpan, where a large crowd of pupils were caught on camera invading and destroying a home believed to be housing a wanted murder suspect.
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Tensions were palpable in the Ekurhuleni neighbourhood and, at some point, the Geluksdal Secondary School mob faced off with residents who were outnumbered and helpless in preventing the ambush on the targeted property.
A team of police officers and Ekurhuleni Metro cops descended on the unrest and, for a moment, managed to create a parameter around the property, but as soon as their attention was focused elsewhere, the mob moved back into the property, relentlessly searching for the alleged killer.
However, public order police managed to disperse the crowds in violent clashes that left several pupils injured by rubber bullets and stun grenades.
The unidentified suspect, as the video below shows, was safely removed from the violent scene and transported to safety by police.
Friday’s unrest comes a day after a Grade 10 pupil from Geluksdal Secondary School was stabbed to death during a fight with three fellow learners.
In a statement quoted by News24, Gauteng education spokesperson Steve Mabona explained the fight was prompted by a confrontation between two groups of pupils about pepper spraying at school.
“Subsequently, about eight learners confronted them about their behaviour, and they stopped. However, it is alleged that the perpetrators emerged after school in the company of unknown persons who are not from the school,” Mabona said.
What started out as a tense confrontation turned deadly when the accused pepper spray bandits, in the company of several mates from another school, launched a knife attack against the complainants.
Tragically, while several pupils from both groups sustained minor injuries, one learner was gutted to death.
At the time of reporting on Friday’s intense unrest, Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane was expected to visit Geluksdal Secondary School to hold talks with pupils and educators.
At this juncture, police have made no announcements of arrests in the pupil’s murder.