Learners across Gauteng have vowed not to step foot in school until the three men charged with the murder of learner Shaun Mphela are denied bail.
The learners, from various schools across Tsakani, Duduza, and Kwa-Thema in Ekurhuleni, also demand that allegations of racial discrimination in school be resolved.
On Monday morning secondary school learners were stopped from going to class and encouraged by protesters to picket at the Tsakani Magistrate's Court. Crowds stood outside the court during the bail application of murder suspects Kowah Pillay, 30, Ed Ted "Bino" Williams, 35, and Ameeruddin "Dino" Prince, 31.
The protests began on Friday when students picketed outside their schools as well as the home of one of the suspects after he was arrested.
The three men were charged with the murder of 17-year-old Shaun Mphela, who was stabbed to death on Thursday.
Mphela was allegedly killed for intervening when three boys started pepper spraying other learners in Geluksdal Secondary School.
The delinquents vowed to deal with Mphela after school and allegedly instructed older members of their gang to fight him.
The three murder suspects then allegedly waited outside the school grounds and attacked Mphela and his friends on their way home.
The Pan Africanist Student Organisation (PASO) says there will be no school until learners are searched in the morning and after school on a daily basis until the situation is under control.
Racial tensions are also running high in Geluksdal Secondary School. The school is located in Brakpan, a predominantly Coloured area. It is also the only school in Duduza, Kwa-Thema and Tsakani which offers Afrikaans subjects.
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Many of the school's minority of black learners say they face severe discrimination and racial abuse on a daily basis.
PASO secretary Busisiwe Shezi said they also demand that the police hold a stakeholders' meeting to address allegations of discrimination at the school.
"We are pinning our hope on the police as the Gauteng Education Department has continuously failed learners in this area. We are tired of GDE MEC coming here to Tsakane and doing a fashion parade," Shezi said.
"We have no trust in these politicians, we want the police to take over and lead the process."
The formal bail hearing has been postponed to 15 February and the suspects remain in police custody.
Gauteng Education spokesperson Steve Mabona urged learners to go back to class and allow the police and the court to handle the case. "Not going back to school will not assist anyone; we are urging parents to talk with their children to return to school.
"We will continue with the psycho-social support for those affected," he said.
