Taunts between two primary school learners ended violently when one of the boys allegedly took a pair of scissors and stabbed his classmate in the heart.
Marcelino Windfogel, 14, is lucky to be alive; the scissors ruptured an artery but didn’t enter his heart.
The incident occurred at the Easter Peak Primary School in Manenberg last Wednesday when the two Grade 7 learners fought in class, allegedly in front of their teacher.
Marcelino’s family say the school sent a learner to fetch them.
His grandfather, Thomas Salarnie, 76, tells the Daily Voice the family is traumatised about what happened.
“How could something like this happen in a class full of children and the teacher?” he asks.
“Apparently they were making jokes at one another and this (15-year old) boy took his scissors and stabbed Marcelino.
“(Marcelino) had an operation over the weekend because he had been stabbed in the heart.
“We do not feel good about any of this and from what we hear the boy has not even been arrested.”
Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel André Traut confirms no arrests have been made.
“A case of assault is being investigated and the investigation is yet to be concluded,” he says.
Western Cape Education Department spokesperson, Jessica Shelver, says they are aware of the incident.
She says the school immediately contacted the pupils’ parents and alerted police and emergency services.
“The perpetrator has been suspended and is due to return to school on the 26th September 2016,” she says.
“The School Psychologist had provided group trauma counselling to learners.”