The 17-year-old boy accused of killing Hoërskool Overberg pupil Deveney Nel made a brief first appearance in the Caledon Magistrate’s Court on Monday, the boy is believed to be a pupil at the same school as Deveney. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) confirmed that the teen was charged with murder and was taken to a place of safety.
The matter was held in camera, due to the suspect being a minor. The suspect who was known to Deveney and her school community, was arrested by detectives from the Serious Violent Crime Unit on Friday just before midnight. Deveney disappeared two weeks ago, when her school hosted a sports day. Her mother reported her missing when she failed to take her transport home. It is believed that the Grade 10 learner was stabbed to death and her body hidden in the school’s locked storeroom. At court around 40 protestors gathered outside calling for justice for Deveney.
The murder of Deveney Nel has raised concerns over safety at schools after her body was discovered in a storeroom on the school’s premises. It is understood that Nel had been part of the school’s first aid team during a sports day before she went missing and her photos ended up being circulated on social media shortly after her corpse was discovered. A search party was established by SAPS Caledon. The search party later found the body of Deveney at the school.
Parents for Equal Education South Africa (PEESA) has called for an intervention by the provincial education department to make schools safer. PEESA stated that safety at schools was of a great concern and called for immediate action to keep pupils safe while attending school, adding that Nel’s death had spread fear among parents. It has been reported that the school has added extra security while the department of education in the Western Cape has also arranged social workers and counsellors for pupils affected by the horrific attack.
The third quarter crime statistics released by the South African Police Service (SAPS) revealed that nothing has been done to turn South African schools into safe havens for learners. The total number of murders and rapes committed on the premises of educational institutions in 2023 are 34 and 290 respectively. Between October and December of 2023, there were 7 murders, 24 attempted murders, 252 cases of assault/grievous bodily harm (GBH), and 61 rapes on the premises of schools, universities, colleges, day care/after care facilities.
Schools belong to communities that must be at the forefront of securing their schools. The department has policies, but communities are responsible for ensuring their people’s safety. The South African Schools Act empowers schools to take charge of their environments and to work with the relevant authorities.
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