{"id":72248,"date":"2022-09-29T18:27:52","date_gmt":"2022-09-29T16:27:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/?p=72248"},"modified":"2022-09-29T18:27:52","modified_gmt":"2022-09-29T16:27:52","slug":"several-people-were-injured-in-an-attack-at-a-pietermaritzburg-school","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/several-people-were-injured-in-an-attack-at-a-pietermaritzburg-school\/","title":{"rendered":"Several people were injured in an attack at a Pietermaritzburg school"},"content":{"rendered":"

Neelam Rahim<\/em> | neelam@radioislam.co.za<\/a><\/p>\n

4 min read | 18:28 pm CAT<\/p>\n

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Several people have been injured at a primary school in KwaZulu-Natal, with the violence playing out in full view of terrified children. It was at first believed that a man opened fire at the Alston Primary School in Pietermaritzburg, but investigations indicate that he was armed with a screwdriver. The attacker was arrested after he was overpowered by school staff, security and residents.<\/p>\n

In an interview with\u00a0Radio Islam International<\/em>, spokesperson for Education in KZN, Dr Imran Keeka, said school safety is not a new issue. There has also been a video circulated on social media, which was frightening to see young children being subject to such an attack.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Dr Keeka had recently debated the issue in the KZN legislature and has raised the case since 2019 when he <\/span>moved the motion calling upon the then MEC to audit school fences and access points into schools. Including making recommendations on how to improve school safety.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“During the education’s budget debate, he [former MEC] swabbed it off and ignored all of the suggestions I had made to make schools safer.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

At the legislature debate around two weeks ago, the issue was again raised as there are many incidents taking place.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Dr Keeka said the solution was the ANC motion of ‘Ndaba’.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“The Ndaba is referred to as a meet, eat and greet session that will not result in any benefit to the learners of school nor does it equal school safety,” he says.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Instead, Dr Keeka has offered an alternative to a school safety programme. A national framework already exists to make schools safer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

According to Dr Keeka, the school national safety programme needs to be tweaked to assist schools in becoming safer places.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

He added that school safety should be a whole society approach.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Above all, the program requires accountability and solid political leadership to ensure effectiveness.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, there has been no hearing to date, although the department has said they will be dispatching social workers and psychologists to the school.<\/span><\/p>\n

Listen below to the interview with Aanisa Essack and Dr Imran Keeka on Radio Islam’s<\/em> podcast.<\/p>\n