Two More Gauteng Pupils Stabbed to Death as School Violence Crisis in the Province Deepens
MEC Matome Chiloane condemns latest killings as the number of learner deaths continues to rise in the 2026 academic year.
Learner deaths: Litha Duba, Forest High School, and Lufuno Khangale, Daleview Secondary
Gauteng’s education community has been rocked by more incidents of violence after two pupils were stabbed to death in separate incidents in Johannesburg and Ennerdale — adding to the growing list of learner fatalities since the 2026 school year began.
Gauteng MEC for Education Matome Chiloane said he was “devastated” by the deaths, describing the incidents as another painful reminder of the escalating danger facing young people in and around school environments.
In the first incident, a 17‑year‑old Grade 8 learner from Forest High School in Johannesburg was beaten and stabbed at Rotunda Park near the school on Friday, 20 March 2026, shortly after the end of the school day. The teenager sustained severe injuries and was rushed to a local hospital before being transferred to another facility, where he later died.
Just days later, tragedy struck again when a Grade 12 boy from Daleview Secondary School in Ennerdale was fatally stabbed on Monday, 23 March 2026. He was attacked in an open veld between the school and a nearby store while walking home.
Police are investigating both incidents.
The Department of Education has dispatched psycho‑social support teams to both school communities and to the bereaved families.
Chiloane said the ongoing loss of learners to violent attacks was “unacceptable and intolerable,” calling on communities to work closely with law enforcement to protect children and ensure perpetrators are swiftly brought to justice.
“These are deeply painful losses for our education community,” said Chiloane. “Violence against our learners, whether within or outside school premises, cannot be tolerated. We urge communities to stand united so that our schools remain safe spaces for teaching and learning.”
Growing pattern of learner deaths in 2026
The latest killings add to a troubling pattern of learner fatalities that has unfolded since the start of the 2026 academic year. Gauteng has recorded several deaths linked to violence, crime, and accidents involving school learners since schools reopened — prompting renewed calls for strengthened safety interventions around school precincts.
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