A learner from a Mbumbulu school, Mthobisi Ngcongo, was severely assaulted last week in school in what is believed to be an incident related ongoing factional fighting in the area.
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Longstanding factional tensions in Mbumbulu, south of Durban, have reportedly spilled into local schools, with a violent assault at Isisusa Secondary School leaving a Grade 11 learner hospitalised with a broken jaw.
The conflict, involving the neighbouring villages of Makholweni and Nkomokazi, has for years been marked by deep divisions and periodic clashes. Now, concerns are mounting that the hostility is beginning to affect learners.
The latest incident unfolded last Friday when a learner from Nkomokazi allegedly mocked another learner’s shoes, calling them “ugly”, sparking a confrontation that quickly escalated into violence.
Eighteen-year-old Mthobisi Ngcongo was seriously injured during the altercation after he was allegedly struck with a stone, leaving him with a broken jaw and extensive facial injuries.
His mother, Mabusi Ngcongo, said doctors informed the family that her son faces a lengthy recovery and will struggle to eat normally for some time because his teeth have been wired together.
“He will have to survive on amahewu (fermented maize meal drink) through a straw. From the extent of his injuries, it is clear the attacker meant serious harm,” she said.
Ngcongo criticised the school’s handling of the matter, claiming the learner responsible has not been suspended. She also expressed concern over her son’s safety should he return to school and encounter the alleged attacker.
Although the family did not open a criminal case after the alleged attacker’s family apologised and sought a private resolution, Ngcongo believes the broader factional conflict remains unresolved and is now affecting schools.
School governing body chairperson Neverdie Shange confirmed the incident but denied it was linked to the long-running village feud, saying it was simply “a fight between children”.
However, KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education spokesperson Muzi Mahlambi condemned the violence, acknowledging concerns that tensions in the community are disrupting learning and making it difficult to attract teachers to schools in the area.