Pupil stabs classmate in alleged gang ‘initiation’

By Delisa Magagula

A Grade 7 pupil in Mbabane is recovering from a knife wound after being attacked by a classmate during end-of-term exams, an incident parents say is linked to a gang “initiation” gone wrong.

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was stabbed in the hand during a test. His fingers were nearly severed. Witnesses say the assailant walked up to him without provocation and ordered him to move. Moments later, a blade flashed, and chaos erupted inside the classroom.

“The boy was well raised, there was no bone of contention. The ‘gangster’ just arrived at a friendly set-up from wherever and went straight to the young man and ordered him to move.

In a wink, a knife was wielded and used to poke the victim in the back. While he was taken aback, it was a ‘defend myself’ situation and that’s how he almost lost his finger,” the source said.

The reliable source further shared that the assailant later allegedly boasted he had ‘moved up the ranks’ after spilling blood and that gang leadership expected him to take a life to advance.

The mother of the injured pupil attempted to report the attack but, according to several parents who spoke with this newspaper, was advised by the school to withhold a formal complaint to protect the school’s name.

The mother initially followed that advice but has since agreed to open a police report. Multiple parents say the perpetrator remains enrolled at the same school and was present while other learners sat for examinations, a situation they fear could traumatise pupils and affect exam performance.

“A child was offered E50 to change his story, there is an influence of an adult in all this. The question is who?”

Attempts by this reporter to obtain an on-the-record statement from the school’s head teacher in Mbabane were made, but the school did not supply a comment by the deadline.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Inspector Nosipho Mnguni said the police have not yet announced any arrests in connection with the incident.

Parents, civil society members and concerned residents expressed anger that a pupil allegedly associated with the violent ‘26’ grouping was able to carry a knife onto school grounds.

According to research, the Numbers Gang, historically divided into groups known as the 26s, 27s and 28s, is a well-documented prison-based criminal organisation in South Africa and its presence or influence beyond prison walls has been the subject of media and research attention in the region.

Experts and community workers warn that variants of prison gangs’ culture and symbols can diffuse into communities and be adopted by youth.

National surveys and specialist reports show that violence against children and youth in Eswatini is a recognised, persistent problem.

The Eswatini Violence Against Children and Youth Survey (VACS), a nationally representative study and government strategy documents, identify high levels of youth exposure to violence and the need for protective measures in schools and communities.

Those findings underpin calls from parents and advocates for more robust protection measures in schools.

Researchers who study youth gangs in Southern Africa say recruitment increasingly targets younger adolescents, often through promises of status, cash, or protection.

Field studies and policy research highlight tactics such as using school networks to identify and groom potential recruits small acts of violence are sometimes used as initiation or to test commitment.

Prevention approaches recommended by academics focus on strengthening school environments, offering positive alternatives, and improving policing and community partnerships.

Meanwhile, professional and academic analyses stress that gang involvement is rarely only about violence, it reflects social, economic and institutional vulnerabilities.

Psychologists working in youth violence prevention note that adolescents who join gangs are often responding to a mix of peer pressure, the need for belonging, and material incentives; early intervention and safe reporting channels in schools are crucial to stop escalation.

Former prisoners and researchers who have studied prison gangs say that the culture of rank, initiation and “proving” oneself through violence is entrenched in some organised criminal groups.

Interviews and studies with ex-gang members underline how young recruits can be coerced into committing violent acts to secure status and protection and how these dynamics can spill back into communities when gang structures extend beyond prison gates.

Parents who spoke to this newspaper urged decisive police action, full cooperation from the school, and a coordinated programme of awareness and prevention across schools in the region.

“If she is too intimidated to proceed to the authorities, I will engage another gear,” one parent said, calling for community mobilisation and a clear plan to keep children safe.

Several parents suggested immediate steps like ensuring the injured pupil receives full medical and psychological care.

“Urgently review school security and examination seating arrangements, suspend pupils under credible suspicion pending investigation and establish an independent complaints and protection channel so victims and witnesses can report safely,” said the parent.

Worth noting is that if the mother formally opens a case, the police are obliged to investigate and, where there is sufficient evidence, pursue charges.

The Royal Eswatini Police Service publishes guidelines and has a dedicated communications office to handle public queries, community members may also report incidents via local stations.

Country and regional reports indicate that what begins as isolated incidents can signal deeper, systemic risk where criminal group identities are normalised among youths.

Preventing escalation requires coordinated action across education, social services, policing and families, safe reporting channels in schools, prompt medical and counselling support for victims, transparent communication by school authorities, and targeted prevention efforts that offer adolescents alternatives to gang pathways.

The victim’s mother has reportedly agreed to attempt a police report. Parents and neighbours say they will support the family and press for a full, transparent investigation.