Three pupils hospitalised after “violent” fight which was allegedly sparked by racial tension The crowds outside the school when the fight broke out: Picture: Video screengrab
Parents are demanding answers after a violent fight at Centenary Secondary School, in Asherville, led to an emergency closure, leaving pupils stranded and three hospitalised.
Staff members allegedly remained behind closed gates, while parents attempted to break up the fight.
Parents claimed they had not been informed of the 9.30am closure.
The pupils were handed a notice when leaving the school which read: “Please be informed that due to circumstances that have arisen, lessons will be suspended for the day. Learners have been dismissed at 09:30. School will continue as normal tomorrow. Day three of the timetable will be in operation. Please make the necessary transport arrangements for your child/ward.”
A video of the fight went viral on social media with many commentators speculating what sparked the incident.
Some claimed it was racial tension between the Indian and African pupils.
By the time the fight ended, at least three children had been taken to hospital. A parent, Karen Maistry, said she was concerned about the lack of responsibility from the principal, the teachers and the security guards.
She has two children at the school and runs a scholar transport.
“The school let our children out without even telling us. We only came to know after they had left the gates. I was lucky that a friend alerted me and I was able to get to the school quickly.
“I looked for my children and took whoever else I could load into my vehicle in a bid to protect them. The fight was huge and innocent children were getting assaulted. Sadly no one was helping to break up the fight.
“I was shocked to see the school gate closed and the principal, teachers and security guards standing inside watching the fight escalate. The parents were the ones who were trying to break up the fight,” said Maistry.
Arifa Shaik, of Brickfield Road, said her Grade 11 son was hit with a brick during the fight, leaving him with a bad head injury.
“My son is shaken and in pain. He was bleeding profusely. The deputy principal watched my son bleed and instead of helping he just shot a video and went away.
“My son got caught in the fight. He was trying to protect his friend from getting hit, when he was assaulted. I am frustrated and shocked. All of this could have been avoided if the school had informed us timeously that they would be closing early. I had called the school secretary when we got the news in the morning and she said everything was fine. However, nothing was fine because the fight started in the school and continued outside,” said Shaik.
Saliya Willis, from Asherville, rushed to help pupils who were being assaulted.
“I panicked when I got the call to pick my daughter up from school. It was a scene from a movie. I parked my car and tried to help the other parents trying to stop the fight.
“The pupils were so unruly and dangerous. They were hitting and swearing at parents who were helping. The worst part is that the principal, teachers and security were standing safely inside the gate watching us try to break the fight up. I could see that they did not want to take responsibility for the incident,” said Willis.
Another concerned parent said that her son was now scared to return to school today (Wednesday).
“Discipline is at an all-time low at this school. They are not strict enough with the pupils which leads to never-ending fights. We expect our children to be safe in school. But it seems like they are more worried about hairstyles than the safety of the children.
“However, we as parents will no longer stand for this. We want to question the principal on how he can let this happen in front of his eyes. If this continues, our children will be killed. We refuse to tolerate this behaviour," said the parent.
SAPS and the Public Order Policing were called to the scene.
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