GOOD Statement by Matthew Cook,
GOOD National Chairperson
19 February 2026
The GOOD Party’s National Chairperson, Matthew Cook, has strongly condemned the reported stabbing of two learners at a school in eThekwini this morning.
This latest incident is deeply disturbing and unacceptable. Schools must be places of safety, learning, and opportunity – not spaces of fear and violence.
Today’s attack follows a deeply troubling pattern in KwaZulu-Natal, including the stabbing of five learners in an alleged racial attack at Glenover Secondary School in September 2025, and the fatal stabbing of a pupil at another KZN school in November 2024. These repeated incidents demand more than condemnation; they require decisive, coordinated action.
GOOD calls on the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education, the South African Police Service, and the Department of Basic Education to urgently account for the preventative measures currently in place and outline the immediate steps to be taken to prevent further violence.
We cannot normalise violence in our schools. There must be visible safety plans, proper screening and access control measures where necessary, social support for affected learners, and early intervention strategies to identify conflicts before they escalate into violence.
Our children are being failed when warning signs are ignored or when departments act only after a tragedy strikes.
Prevention must become the priority, not damage control.
GOOD extends its support to the affected learners, their families, educators, and the broader school community.
No parent should send a child to school fearing they may not return home safely. The government has both a constitutional and moral obligation to ensure that our schools are secure environments. We will continue to demand accountability and sustained preventative action, not only statements of regret after each incident.
Media Enquiries: media@forgood.org.za