Gang war erupts in Schauderville school playground

[caption id="attachment_36262" align="alignright" width="405"] KEEPING THE PEACE: David Livingstone principal Desmond Groves speaks to police who rushed to the scene. Picture: JUDY DE VEGA[/caption]

MAYHEM erupted at a Port Elizabeth northern areas school, two pupils were stabbed and midyear exams disrupted as a large police contingent was called in to quell fighting between rival gang members yesterday.

The violent clashes at David Livingstone High School in Schauderville were triggered minutes before the school bell rang at 8am and, as news of the fighting spread, parents wielding cricket bats and planks also descended on the school.

Police were deployed to the school in six vehicles to defuse the situation while a police helicopter combed the area. Two Grade 9 boys, reported to belong to a gang called the AGLs (Alles Gewoond Laaities) at the school, were stabbed when they became involved in a fight with the Home Boys from Lawler Street in Schauderville, just outside the school gates.

The injured boys' supporters jumped in to help them, allegedly using knives, planks and the buckles of their belts to fight off one another.

A 15-year-old boy was stabbed in the hand and a 16-year-old was stabbed in the cheek.

The boys' parents, along with other concerned parents – some of them still in their pyjamas, nightgowns and curlers – went to the school armed with cricket bats and planks to defend their children.

Fighting broke out again later on the school rugby field when outside gang members arrived at the premises and attacked some of the pupils allegedly involved in the initial fight.

School principal Desmond Groves said: "[Yesterday morning], coming back from a peaceful long weekend, I had a meeting with my staff before the day started.

"I was informed about the fight between pupils who belong to the AGLs and Home Boys just outside the school's gates. I know one boy was stabbed, but I was told the other one was okay."

Groves said gang activity at David Livingstone had been a problem for a while. "The word is that [yesterday's] incident had been dragging on since the weekend. I was told the AGLs and the Home Boys had some confrontation outside the school on Friday.

"Unfortunately, it spilled over into the school. We had previous meetings with the parents of the boys involved regarding their children's beef with one another which was sorted out amicably.

"It has been a quiet two months since those meetings so I am disappointed that exactly the same problem flared up again."

While some of the parents were talking to The Herald at the scene, five men, who introduced themselves as members of a gang called the Kak Dalas, infiltrated the school, saying they would "kill" some of the children involved in the fighting.

At 10am, when the gangsters saw the pupils who had been involved in the morning's fight move out of their classrooms, they charged towards them and dragged them onto a rugby field where more fighting took place. Pupils scattered all over the school premises, with some cheering for their friends while others – frightened by the violent clashes – sought shelter. Terrified women teachers hid in their classrooms while the men tried to disperse the crowd.

Police spokesmen Warrant Officer Alwyn Labans said no weapons were found on the premises.

"We urge parents and the community to report incidents involving youngsters fighting and violently confronting one another before it escalates and someone gets hurt.

"The pupils at David Livingstone, as well as other schools in the northern areas, should rather focus on their education and not get involved with gang activities."

In a disturbing reflection of how gang activities have become a feature of daily life, a Grade 11 pupil said: "Nothing happened. The boys were just chasing each other around with knives." An 18-year-old girl, who wrote the English exam paper 1 yesterday, said: "We were in the last 15 minutes of writing our exam when the gangsters came into the school.

"They were looking for the AGLs and the Home Boys because they are jealous of them. The Home Boys are cute. They are not ugly like the real gangsters."

The mother of one of the injured boys said parents were unhappy with the way the principal handled the situation. "He sent some of the boys involved in the fight home, while others were allowed to write their exams," she said. "I think it's time the Department of Education steps in, because these fights at David Livingstone are getting out of hand."

Education district director Dr Nyathi Ntsiko could not be reached for comment. - Alvené du Plessis