Hosea, Ngozi pupils protest, demand Bacede, Mthandeni release
HLUTHI – Hosea High and Ngozi Secondary pupils yesterday engaged in a protest demanding the release of Hosea Member of Parliament (MP) Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza and Ngwempisi MP Mthandeni Dube.
In fact, it was said that the pupils’ message was clear that they would not return to class unless the arrested MPs were released.
The protest seemed to have been pre-planned. It was said that pupils of Ngozi Secondary were singing political songs during morning assembly unlike other days where they would sing religious melodies.
Pupils
It was said that having noted that, the teachers and head teacher cut the morning assembly short and sent the pupils to class.
At Hosea High, it is said that the pupils, around 9am, started banging desks, stepped out of their classrooms and assembled while singing political songs. They ran around the school and all that happened while the head teacher was not at school. It is said that having done that, they then went to Ngozi Secondary. Apparently, teachers of Ngozi saw the Hosea High pupils making their way into the school premises, went to the school’s assembly and sang songs. “They were blowing trumpets and whistles while singing,” narrated a teacher at the school.
The pupils from both schools are said to have then headed to Ngozi Primary only to find police officers, who blocked their way into the primary.
The pupils were dispersed by the police and ran helter-skelter, which was how the protest ended.
It was established that Ngololweni primary and high schools had to send pupils home immediately in fear that the protesting pupils might visit their schools. Shiselweni Deputy Regional Education Officer (REO) Sibongile Zwane confirmed that they received a report about the protest.
She stated that they were yet to get a detailed report on what transpired, but the head teachers called to report the incident.