A 17-year-old schoolboy from Durban is in a critical fight for his life after being brutally stabbed on the premises of West Ridge High School, near Mayville, last month. Joshua Peterson, a pupil at the trade school, sustained life-threatening injuries, with two knife wounds to his neck and abdomen, leaving him bedridden and struggling to recover.
Joshua’s family has expressed deep concern about his prospects of recovery, with his father, Trevor Peterson, describing the attack as “devastating.” “He is in diapers. He can’t walk by himself. Joshua is basically bedridden. He can’t do anything for himself currently. It is devastating for me as a parent to see my son in that condition. No parent wants to go through such trauma,” said Trevor, his voice breaking as he spoke of his son’s ordeal.
The family’s suffering is compounded by the lack of information about the investigation into the incident. Trevor has raised numerous questions about how the weapon made its way onto school grounds and why there were no teachers nearby when the attack occurred. “We have many questions to ask, but we are being left in the dark. One of the questions is how did the weapon enter the school premises? Where were the teachers when my child was attacked?” said Peterson.
Joshua was a promising student, and teachers were already working to secure him a job before the attack. “Some teachers were already looking to find Joshua a job at the time of the incident, but that has been put on hold as he fights for his life at the hospital,” said Trevor. The pain of seeing his son in a hospital bed instead of following his dreams has been unbearable for the family.
Joshua’s uncle, Fernando Petersen, echoed Trevor’s sentiments, describing the situation as “beyond painful.” “It is beyond painful to see Joshua, who is like a son to me, lying in hospital in such a bad state,” Fernando said. He also criticized the Department of Education for not providing any counselling to the family, adding, “No department official has ever come to us to offer us counselling. We are all by ourselves, going through this ordeal.”
Despite their pain, the Peterson family remains resolute. Fernando said, “Joshua is our son, and we fight as a family to make sure that he comes out of the hospital and continues with his life. We will not give up.”
The case has drawn attention to the issue of school safety, with the stabbing of Joshua not being an isolated incident. Last year, another 17-year-old pupil was critically injured in a stabbing incident at a high school in Merebank, south of Durban. The attack, which involved a robbery and multiple stab wounds, left the teenager fighting for his life, and paramedics rushed him to the hospital.
As the investigation into Joshua’s attack continues, responses from the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the provincial Department of Education are awaited. The accused has already appeared in court, with the matter postponed to March 6.
The devastating attack on Joshua Peterson has raised serious questions about safety at schools, prompting calls for more action to ensure the security and well-being of students across Durban and the country.
