‘Tell your parents that the sheriff is back in town’
A primary school principal who was shot in the stomach by a grade 6 pupil in February returned to school this week, braving the cold to greet parents and pupils at the school gate.
Noko Selepe’s wounds may have healed, but the shooting at the school in Germiston, Gauteng, has left his family members with emotional scars.
“My daughter was highly traumatised. Her mother was also worried. She did not support my decision to come back to work. She asked me to go back to the district [office].
“We prayed together, and as time went on she began to realise that danger is everywhere. It is only God who knows, and she started to make peace with it,” Selepe said.
Selepe, 51, spent three weeks in hospital after the shooting on February 16. The 13year-old boy was believed to be angry because the principal had asked to meet his father to discuss his poor academic performance.
Selepe said he was grateful he had been shot instead of a pupil.
“It was better that I took the bullet. Had that bullet hit a child, I would have resigned, because I’d be thinking of the child who passed on.”
On Tuesday, the first day of the new school term, Selepe arrived at school shortly before 7am. Donning a Zion Christian
Church cap, he was greeted by a few teachers and admin staff who had arrived early as he walked slowly to his office.
“Welcome back, principal,” one of the staff members said. “Thank you — it is good to be back,” he responded.
In his office, Selepe started his day with a prayer before going back outside to greet parents and pupils in -3ºC temperatures.
“Hurry, hurry,” he urged the children as they filed through the gate.
Selepe then addressed the grade 4 to grade 7 pupils in the hall.
“I’m happy that, while I was recovering at home, I never received a report that there was [even] one child who had been suspended because of misbehaving. That shows that you can be disciplined.
“To show that this school is offering goodquality education, the top learner at Dawnview High School is from Primrose Primary. A top learner at Primrose [Technical] High School is a learner from Primrose.
“Remember that last year the top learner at Dawnview, who got seven distinctions, came from Primrose Primary. I just want to thank you because I know that when I was still in hospital you were praying for me. When I was at home, you were praying for me, and that is why I recovered,” Selepe said.
He then went to speak to the grade 1 and grade 2 pupils, who were shivering in the cold outside.
“I don’t belong at home — I belong here.
Thank God that I’m back and I’m OK. I know you missed me, and I missed you too. Continue to be disciplined and do your schoolwork. When you arrive at home, tell your parents that the sheriff is back in town. The principal is back,” he said.
As he walked back to his office, he recalled the incident in which he almost lost his life.
“That picture of me being shot only stayed in my mind for a week or two, while I was still in hospital. As I began to pray, I began to find answers. This is where I crawled to after getting shot,” he said, pointing to one of the open offices.
“I feel pity for that boy. I have forgiven him. I’m praying he may find peace in his heart and start to focus and rebuild his future. My duty is to lead these children into responsible adulthood. These kids are like my own,” Selepe said.
The pupil allegedly approached the principal in a passage and did not say a word. He fired once but missed, and then fired again, hitting Selepe in the stomach. The principal pretended to be dead, and the boy turned away.
The gun belonged to the pupil’s father. He had told his friends about his plans to shoot Selepe.
Staff said the boy was known for talking back to teachers and being troublesome.
While recovering at home, Selepe continued to do administrative work, such as speaking to sponsors who had threatened to remove their funding after the shooting incident.
He also organised 100 pairs of shoes for the needy children who come from the nearby informal settlements.
“I have a passion for the children. While I was at home, I was reading and researching, looking at the policies of the school [and thinking about] how I could fix them. I finished all those things quickly. I missed being with my teachers, strategising and coming up with different ways to improve the school ... I had to be back,” he said.
Selepe said he would strengthen the ability of teachers to identify troublesome children and devise proper interventions early.
“We also need to raise awareness among learners so that they know that if they see somebody carrying [something] not allowed on the premises, they must inform an educator,” he said.
The 13-year-old has been charged with attempted murder and has been released into the care of his guardians. His father has been charged with failing to properly secure his firearm and is out on bail.