Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane has stated that the fatal stabbing of 19-year-old Lethabo Mokonyane outside Lesedi Secondary School in Lethabong could have been prevented if police had honored an agreement to patrol high-risk schools.
Mokonyane was attacked after school hours on Tuesday by a fellow learner who had been absent that day. Two suspects have since been arrested. Family members described Mokonyane as a quiet, tech-savvy teenager who avoided street life.
“He was a handsome boy, very quiet. He loved computers, phones, and technical stuff. He preferred being alone and never liked being out on the streets,” a grieving relative said.
Officials revealed that the suspects had a prior altercation with Mokonyane, which had been addressed at the school with parents present. However, the situation escalated violently when the accused allegedly returned armed and intent on attack.
“This was premeditated murder,” Chiloane said. “These learners didn’t come to school—they arrived wearing balaclavas and deliberately sought out their victim. It’s a devastating low for our education system.”
Teachers at Lesedi Secondary have raised concerns about learners not reporting bullying, while fears grow over gang-related activity infiltrating schools. Chiloane expressed frustration over police failing to uphold a commitment to monitor 75 high-risk schools during peak times.
“The police failed us. Had they been present as agreed, this tragedy might have been avoided,” he said. Despite ongoing violence, the department insists that safety measures—including crime wardens and private security—are slowly yielding results.
Mokonyane’s family, meanwhile, mourns a life cut short and questions school safety. “Leavo is gone—who’s next?” a relative asked. “We need assurance from the government because schools no longer feel safe.”
The incident has reignited calls for urgent intervention to protect learners amid rising school violence.