Update: 17 August 2024
Western Cape police have arrested a 17-year-old boy in connection with the murder of Deveney Nel, a pupil at Overberg High School, Cape {town} Etc reports.
The Grade 10 pupil’s body was discovered in a school storeroom last Wednesday, shortly after her mother reported her missing.
According to News24, police arrested the 17-year-old suspect on Friday following an extensive investigation.
‘The 17-year-old suspect was arrested by the detectives on Friday evening and charged with murder. He is expected to appear in the Caledon Magistrate’s Court on Monday,’ Potelwa said.
Provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Thembisile Patekile praised the police for the breakthrough as efforts to combat crimes against vulnerable groups intensify.
‘We will spare no resources to get to the perpetrators of crime. Gender-based violence and femicide are a priority for the South African Police Service. Hence we welcome this arrest,’ he added.
The murder of a Grade 10 Overberg High School student has raised concerns over safety at schools after her body was discovered in a store room on the school’s premises, Cape {town} Etc reports.
Deveney Nel (16) from Grabouw was found dead last Wednesday, 7 August, after her mother reported her missing when she failed to return from school.
Also read: Overberg High student found dead in school’s storage room
It is understood that Nel had been part of the school’s first aid team during a sports day before she went missing, with photos of her being circulated on social media after her corpse was discovered, as reported by News24.
Nel was stabbed in the neck and chest before she was dragged into the store room, according to Rapport.
While police could not ‘confirm the report’, Western Cape police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk stated that a murder case was being investigated.
‘A search party was established by SAPS Caledon. The search party later found the body of a girl in a storeroom on the school’s premises. She was declared deceased by medical personnel at the scene,’ said Van Wyk.
Vanessa Le Roux, founder of Parents for Equal Education South Africa (PEESA), has called for an intervention by the provincial education department to make schools safer.
‘It is time for the department and schools to take a serious look and revisit whether their measures of keeping our children safe are effective,’ said Le Roux.
Le Roux stated that safety at schools was of a ‘great concern’ and called for immediate action to keep pupils safe while attending school, adding that Nel’s death had ‘spread fear among parents’.
‘Parents can’t help but fear the brutality of society spilling over into our institutions of learning where teachers and children should be safe,’ said Le Roux.
‘Schools have no blood left to bleed; we are truly tired of excuses like “we are investigating the matter” when we don’t know how to pick up the pieces,’ Le Roux added.
Malvern de Bruyn, provincial secretary of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), emphasised that ‘the thousands of workers’ the congress represented, and who were parents of pupils, just wanted to ensure their children’s safety.
‘The murder of this Overberg teenager whose body was found at school has rocked many working class parents. Her death was deeply disturbing and indicates clearly that not even our schools are a safe space for our children,’ said De Bruyn.
‘If our children cannot be safe at school, at home in their neighbourhoods or on the streets where will they ever be safe,’ De Bruyn added.
On Tuesday earlier this week, provincial police commander Colonel Andrè Traut said SAPS was still investigating Nel’s death and that there were ‘no new developments’ that could be shared.
‘We would like to appeal to the public to refrain from making unsubstantiated allegations that could endanger certain individuals,’ said Traut.
‘It is our request that the investigation process is allowed to unfold, and when the time is right, SAPS will disclose the progress that has been made,’ Traut added.
David Williams, Overberg District Community Policing Forum board chairperson, condemned the killing of Nel and urged the police to ‘find and arrest the murderer or murderers’ and bring them to justice.
Williams added that the ‘alarmingly high’ occurence of gender-based violence (GBV) in the country was shocking.
‘The board encourages the community of Caledon to stand up and raise their voices as well as to work alongside SAPS to resolve this sad and unacceptable murder,’ said Williams.
Western Cape Education MEC David Maynier said that as the investigation into the incident continued, the district would continue to offer support to the school’s principal, staff and pupils.
‘Counselling services will still be available to all learners this week. Our condolences go out to Deveney Nel’s family, friends and school staff, who are dealing with this devastating loss,’ said Maynier.
‘We appeal to the media and public to give the school community the space and privacy to grieve. While there is great interest in this case, the well-being of our learners and staff is and will remain our key priority,’ Maynier added.
Also read:
Investigation reveals Deveney Nel (16) was stabbed and moved
Picture: Hoërskool Overberg / Facebook