Daily Sun (October 30 2013)THESE were the last moments in the life of Bongani Nkabinde . . . In full view of other pupils at his school, the 18-year-old was beaten and speared to death in a fight with rival boys. THE SHOCKING VIDEO WAS FILMED ON MONDAY BY ANOTHER PUPIL - AND REACHED DAILY SUN YESTERDAY.
The source of the video wants to remain anonymous. The horrifying attack happened just after pupils said prayers at their morning assembly at Sizimele High School, Dannhauser, in KZN. Pupils screamed as a fight broke out between two traditional music groups from different clans.
Bongani's group, Abaphumeleli (The Conquerors) faced their rivals, the Bhananas from Mdikane, across the school yard.
Daily Sun has been told the Bhananas came to school prepared for war with sharpened sticks, metal rods and pangas.
Bongani tried to hide but he was set upon by the rival group and fell to the ground, trying to hide his head from the stabbing blows.
The fight was so furious even teachers ran for cover. According to pupils, Bongani lay on the ground in a pool of blood. He was certified dead when an ambulance took him to a local clinic.
The boy's death was a shock to his father Nkosingephile Nkabinde (41) who had walked his son to school that morning - and was sitting in the same clinic, where he had a doctor's appointment.
"When I heard the news I ran through the clinic passages searching for him," said the grieving father. "I saw him lying still in a stretcher with his arms wide open. I could see he was already dead."
A grade 10 pupil told Daily Sun the rivalry between the two groups arose because Bongani's group accused the Bhananas of stealing Zulu dance songs.
"They started fighting last Friday," said the pupil. "It seems nothing was settled so they had to fight again.
"Now we all fear that Bongani's crew will want revenge."
When Daily Sun arrived at the school, there was still tension and a cop van was on guard to ensure that there was no more fighting. A grade 12 pupil said that this incident nearly disturbed their first matric paper.
"We came to school nervous about writing our first exam. We didn't need this additional stress," she said.
Bongani's granny, Alice Nkabinde (75), said it was sad that her grandson had died for the love of traditional Zulu dance.
- SAPS provincial cop spokesman Thulani Zwane confirmed that there was an incident at Sizimele High School on Monday in which a pupil died and two others were wounded. He said five suspects between the ages of 17 and 19 had been arrested and were expected to appear in court.
- Muzi Mahlambi, spokesman for the KZN Department of Education, said the department had sent its condolences to Bongani's family.
"We condemn such behaviour at schools," he said.
"We urge the community to work together with the cops to end these unneccessary faction fights."
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