Two young teachers who taught at the Lekgalong Primary School in Ga-Rankuwa Zone 1 have been gunned down by one of their partners. 

The death of the 27 and 26-year-old female teachers who were gunned down at a primary school in Ga-Rankuwa earlier this week has shaken the Gauteng education sector.

Gauteng Education spokesperson Steve Mabona says the pair were killed on Monday afternoon.

“According to the information at our disposal, the 27-year-old and 26-year-old female educators were allegedly shot dead by one of the educator’s partners at approximately 15:00 on Monday.

“Circumstances surrounding this incident are being investigated by the police.” 

Gauteng education MEC Panyaza Lesufi in a statement on Tuesday night, expressed shock at the incident. 

“We are devastated at this gruesome act of criminality that has taken the lives of two of our youngest and brightest educators.

“We extend our deepest condolences to the family and all affected members of the Lekgalong Primary School community,” Lesufi said.

The Gauteng education department’s psycho-social support unit is currently attending to the families and school community members affected by the alleged murders.

The incident of the teachers’ deaths are still being investigated by police. No arrests have been made yet.

Teachers fearing for their safety

This marks the second known alleged murder on school property this year alone.

In January, Phomolong Secondary School deputy principal Thembisile Ngendane was gunned down by three unidentified men in the driveway of the school.

The 50-year-old had recently been appointed, and no arrests have been made up until now.

Head of the department of criminology and criminal justice at the University of Limpopo Professor Jaco Barkhuizen told The Citizen at the time, education had never been this dangerous.

He said Ngendane’s murder was well-organized, with all the markings of a paid hit.