Boy, 13, kills 14-year-old

Lynnette Johns

A 14-YEAR-OLD primary school pupil has died after he was stabbed – allegedly by a 13-year-old boy – outside their school in Atlantis on Monday.

The killing of Grade 7 pupil Fadiel Benjamin has stunned educators and pupils at Wesfleur Primary School, and they received trauma counselling yesterday.

Fadiel Benjamin and his twin brother Adiel had walked out of Wesfleur Primary’s school gates on Monday on their way home when Fadiel apparently told a 13-year-old boy he shouldn’t smoke at school.

The Grade 6 pupil allegedly told him, “I will stab you”, and seconds later he pulled out a knife and stabbed Fadiel in the chest. Fadiel collapsed to the ground, bleeding profusely.

The stabbing happened minutes after the final school bell had rung for the day and was in view of many pupils on their way home.

Adiel ran back to the school, where their mother, Debbie Benjamin, works as a volunteer. She was helping clean the school when she heard her son had been stabbed and was bleeding heavily.

The police and an ambulance were called, but principal Charles Wentzel, on realising the seriousness of the boy’s injuries, rushed him and his mother to Wesfleur Hospital.

Fadiel was immediately transferred to Groote Schuur Hospital, but died a few hours later.

Wentzel went to the home of the alleged perpetrator to tell his mother of the incident.

Yesterday, Benjamin said she was coming to terms with losing her son.

“It is very, very hard. We are pushing through by the grace of God,” she said.

She said they were working on funeral arrangements.

The twins were promising long-distance runners who were working towards being accepted into the Western Cape Sport School next year.

Their commitment to the sport was so strong that they had pitched up for training at school over the December holidays.

The twins had also taken part in the Two Oceans Marathon’s 10km race on Good Friday and had both won medals.

Fadiel was described as a young man with a lot of potential, who had a bright future.

One teacher, who did not want to be identified, said: “He was the kind of boy you’d want in your class. Not an introvert, well disciplined and trustworthy.”

Police spokesman André Traut said a case of murder had been opened. “The suspect cannot be named due to his age, but has been handed to Social Development for assessment,” Traut said.

Yesterday morning Wentzel broke down in tears when he had to tell his staff and pupils about Fadiel’s death.

Another teacher accompanied Benjamin to identify his body. The teacher is said to be heartbroken.

The provincial education department spokesman, Paddy Attwell, said Wentzel had reported the knifing to the circuit office. Yesterday morning the department sent a school social worker and a psychologist to provide counselling to the pupils.

Attwell said: “Everyone is deeply shocked by this tragedy. The police are investigating.”

lynette.johns@inl.co.za