BALLS UP - Soccer chaos sparks stone-throwing fight at Mitchells Plain skool

THE Western Cape Education Department has banned break-time soccer matches at Cedar High School in Mitchells Plain after bakleiery broke out and footage of the fight went viral.

According to Daily Voice sources, the fighting on Wednesday occurred after school hours, at around 3pm, when learners rolled in the quad, before the mayhem spread into the community.

They explained: “The learners played a soccer game, six-a-side, during interval.

“After a few kicks, a player from one team kicked another player on the other team, and they kicked back and had a fight. But after that, there were no fights or aggressiveness.”

The source said that after skool the laaities started a fight outside school grounds, which led to the community’s involvement.

They added: “The community got involved and chased the guys who attacked the one guy who was kicked. There was stone throwing as well, and the schoolkids were chased back into the school grounds.”

Thankfully, no one was seriously hurt, and teachers put a stop to the sides.

Western Cape Education Department (WCED) spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said they are still waiting for a full report on the incident from the school.

Hammond said: “An incident during school hours resulted in conflict between learners. The school is currently identifying the learners involved, and disciplinary processes will be initiated.

“The school has, in the interim, suspended all soccer activities in the quad area. The WCED district office is following up with the school to determine what transpired and additional support required.”

Meanwhile, the founder of Parents for Equal Education (Peesa), Vanessa le Roux, slammed the WCED and questioned where the security and teachers were who are expected to do ground duty at the school.

Le Roux said: “If I am correct, it looks like one gang fighting another. And if this is happening at the school, the authorities must be honest with parents, and the department must say what they are doing to assist this school to keep other children safe.”

She added that incidents like these can further escalate to stabbing or even after-school fights, which could get messy.

Mitchells Plain Community Policing Forum (CPF) Public Relations Officer Linda Jones agreed that the WCED needs to step up and appealed to Safer Schools to ensure that this is prevented.

She said: “One child was affected through this violence. She had a panic attack on Wednesday, and seeing the police also led her to have another panic attack.

“These incidents have a bad effect on our learners, and they should be condemned in the strongest form. Our learners should be dealt with in all earnestness.”​