Two pupils were stabbed with a broken bottle when they were attacked by a man suspected of targeting schoolchildren in Port Elizabeth’s northern areas.
The two Paterson High School Grade 10 pupils were taken to Livingstone Hospital following Wednesday’s stabbing in Schauderville, while a third pupil – who was also attacked – suffered bruises and scratches.
The suspect tried to rob one of the pupils of his cellphone in the scuffle, which happened near the school before 8am.
The incident follows a spate of robberies and physical attacks on pupils who make use of public transport and primarily live in other areas like Motherwell and Kuyga.
Several other pupils have been robbed of cellphones and money in the past.
A 22-year-old suspect who was seen lurking around Livingstone Hospital while the two wounded pupils were being attended to, was arrested.
Principal Sivan Pillay said that when alerted to the attack, his staff members had acted swiftly to take the pupils to hospital.
“We are aware of the attacks on our pupils, especially those who travel from areas outside of the school’s vicinity as they make for easy targets,” he said.
“We know these attacks take place on a regular basis and have been ongoing for a while.
“We are concerned about our pupils’ safety. Our teachers patrol outside the school in the mornings but they can’t always be watchmen for the elements in our area.
“We have also approached Algoa Bus Company to assist us with busing these kids in and ensuring their safety, but that attempt has been to no avail.”
After the boys were transported to hospital, Pillay said, the suspect had followed on foot and the police were alerted.
“Our staff took the boys to the hospital, where the suspect was seen wandering around. We are not sure why he was there but my staff called the police and the Community Police Forum.”Davinia Geswindt, 32, of Schauderville, said the suspect, who is allegedly causing havoc with the pupils, was known in the area.
“These attacks have been going on for months now and these poor children who don’t live in the area are easy targets because he [suspect] would wait on the corner [of Jan Hofmeyer Road] for them to get off the taxis,” she said.
“I have seen how he would put his arm around them and threaten them with a weapon like a knife and then rob them of their cellphones, money and personal belongings.
“Fights would break out but often he gets what he wants.”
Geswindt lives in Jan Hofmeyer Road where the attacks often happen in front of her home.
“I went outside to confront the guy while he was trying to rob a pupil, so I told the schoolboy to tell me if he is attacked by this man again, because he [the suspect] goes around scaring these pupils which is unfair,” she said.
“He [suspect] then left that boy alone but he continued with intimidating the kids.
“The problem is that no one else speaks out or does anything because no one wants to get involved.
“This can’t go on – it is not right for these children to be living in fear like this.”
Geswindt said it was unfortunate that pupils had ended up in hospital. “We need help from the police to patrol the area and keep these kids safe because we can’t allow them to get hurt or [be] stabbed again.”
Police spokeswoman Captain Sandra Janse van Rensburg confirmed a suspect had been arrested.
“The 22-year-old suspect was arrested on charges of assault to cause grievous bodily harm as well as attempted robbery.”
Last week, a 13-year-old Alexander Road High School pupil was stabbed in the shoulder and robbed while walking to school.
The Grade 8 pupil and his friend had been followed by the attacker from the Greenacres bus stop shortly after 7am on Thursday. He was taken to Greenacres Hospital and discharged shortly afterwards.