People from across Bokmakierie in the Western Cape have expressed great sadness at the loss of a pupil stabbed to death allegedly by fellow pupils outside their Athlone school.
Marawaan Blankenberg, 15, Grade 9 pupil at Ned Doman High School, was stabbed to death by fellow pupils outside the school premises on Thursday.
He had lived in Bokmakierie all his life except for the past few months when he moved to Bonteheuwel. He shuttled between the school and relatives who live in Bokmakierie.
His death has served as a catalyst for action by education authorities who will move this week to contain possible problems stemming from his brutal public slaying.
Five pupils were arrested at their homes in Langa and Gugulethu immediately after the incident.
Relatives, friends and community members from across the township, where he was very well known, described the boy as "one of the most polite and respectful children".
"I have known Marawaan since he was a child of three years old, and of the children among us he was certainly our hope, because he was never rude, did not take drugs and always came to the assistance of anyone who needed help," said resident Roweida Cader.
Cader, like Marawaan's grandmother Faeza Blankenberg, is a hawker in Athlone, and said the boy "went out of his way to help his grandmother in every way he could".
"On August 6 it was to be his 16th birthday, and now there is a great sadness throughout Bokmakierie, because he was a real example to others, because he had a beautiful nature and he was our hope to show the world that good people live in this place," Cader said.
She said that education authorities should act swiftly to remove guns, knives and other dangerous weapons from schools as a first step to "creating an environment where another child will not lose his life in this way".
Members of the community spoke with great fondness about the way the young man conducted himself with adults, saying he had often assisted people who were attacked by neighbourhood bullies.
"He was a real part of this community, because he would even go out of his way to help someone who was in trouble," said a resident of 7th Avenue, who did not want to be named.
Speaking at the janaaza (funeral service) for Marawaan in Bokmakierie, education MEC Cameron Dugmore stressed the concern of the Western Cape government over the incident, and said he would address pupils at the school this week.
Dugmore said he would call together all pupil councils in Cape schools to discuss critical issues that had come to light recently.
The MEC pointed out that the situation at Ned Doman High was part of a broader pattern of events that required immediate
intervention.
"At Ned Doman, as in Rondebosch, Masiphumelele and Montevideo, we are very concerned.
"What is clear is that we need to deal very decisively with the issue of violence," he said.
