Deputy Speaker, the ACDP wishes to convey its condolences to the family of Nkululeko Ndlovu, a Grade 10 learner, who was shot by another pupil in the classroom at Phineas Xulu Secondary School in Vosloorus. The deceased was accused by the Grade 11 pupil who shot and killed him of bullying him repeatedly and of taking his cap and cell phone. The reported remarks and feelings expressed by pupils at this secondary school, such as "relieved", "at peace" and "free", are worrying indeed. Some of the pupils at the school allegedly told journalists that they were neither saddened nor bothered by Nkululeko's death as they allege that they too had been victims of his bullying.
A Grade 10 pupil is reported to have said that if the school had taken action against Nkululeko and his friends a long time before, their fellow pupil would not have been killed. This raises the question of discipline in our schools.
This sad incident is a clear example of the fact that the measures government has introduced to replace corporal punishment are not effective. Teachers do not seem to know how to deal with behavioural problems. Hence the increasing number of thefts, sexual assaults and stabbings, and the increasing amount of abuse of drugs among students.
According to a recent study by Unisa's Bureau of Market Research among 3 300 pupils at 24 Gauteng high schools, 34% said they had been bullied in the past two years. This percentage is a clear indication that discipline is a major challenge in our schools.
So, what the ACDP wants to know is what government is going to do to improve discipline and order in our schools. I thank you.