NYAKALLO TEFU|
Gauteng Education MEC, Panyaza Lesufi, has said all information about the shooting of a school principal at Buyani Primary in Finetown, Johannesburg, will be forwarded to police for investigation.
The principal was shot dead on the school premises on Friday morning.
Lesufi visited the school today to get information on what transpired during the shooting.
“I had an opportunity to go through the footage because the school has cameras and it is extremely disturbing to witness such barbaric behavior happening in our school environment,” said Lesufi.
Lesufi said there is a sector we all know that is familiar with killings and it is clear that within the education space there are those that bring that sector behavior into schools.
“From the video footage one can tell that this was a hit that someone was assigned to do, we strongly condemn this,” added Lesufi.
READ: Lesufi Shocked At Fatal Shooting Of Grade 6 Learner In Katlehong
The 53-year-old principal, Lazarous Baloyi, was gunned down by an unknown assailant.
Baloyi was the chairperson of a branch at the South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) in the area.
“We want to send our condolences to the family, teachers and teacher union Sadtu and to the community at large,” said Lesufi.
Police have launched a manhunt hunt for the person(s) involved in the brutal killing of the school principal.
Lesufi said in March he received communication from some of the Pinetown residents raising concerns about the school and the principal’s qualifications.
“The district was forwarded the email to intervene and they did intervene and met with the people who raised concerns, so in the last three months we thought everything was sorted out, until today,” said Lesufi.
Lesufi said they will hand over the information to the police to establish what exactly happened.
“We are in discussion with the district to provide counselling and psychosocial support to the educators, learners and the family,” said Lesufi.
