A lone gunman in the Eastern Cape has attacked a vehicle transporting high school teachers in Lusikisiki, wounding the educators – one of them has since succumbed to his injuries in hospital..
The attack occurred on Wednesday when the educators were travelling from a Grade 12 revision camp, held in the evening at the Mgezwa Senior Secondary School in O.R Tambo Coastal District (Lusikisiki).
At the weekend, the Eastern Cape Department of Education said the MEC, Fundile Gade “has learnt with shock of the barbaric attack of Mgezwa High School educators where one was killed”.
Narrating events leading up to the fatal shooting, the department said the gunman opened fire on teachers when they slowed down at a section of the road damaged by recent rains.
“The driver of the vehicle tried to escape but the gunman continued firing shots,” the department said in a statement released on Saturday.
“The victims eventually managed to escape and were then rushed to the hospital to seek medical assistance.
“Sadly, one of the educators who was injured badly had to be transferred to Nelson Mandela Academy, where he, unfortunately, succumbed to his injuries in the morning of the 12 May 2022.”
The fatal shooting has been reported to the police. It remained unclear what the motive for the shooting was.
The department said it has activated psychosocial support for all the affected educators and learners.
“The MEC will visit the families and school of the affected teachers and a meeting will be held at the school to update about measures that will be taken to make sure that school is safe for teaching and learning to continue,” the statement said.
