The State is opposing bail for a 16-year-old boy accused of stabbing a six-year-old girl inside a church classroom in Umhlali, on KwaZulu-Natal’s north coast.
The teenager appeared in the KwaDukuza Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, facing charges of attempted murder, housebreaking and trespassing.
The incident occurred on Tuesday morning, leaving the young girl in a critical condition. The attack allegedly took place in front of a teacher and other learners.
Police say the teenager entered the classroom and locked the door before allegedly stabbing the girl multiple times and fleeing the scene.
The child was stabilised at the school by paramedics before being rushed to a specialist medical facility for further treatment.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson in KwaZulu-Natal, Natasha Ramkisson-Kara, says the matter was postponed to October 16, 2026, for a bail application following the teenager’s appearance in the Child Justice Court.
The accused will remain at a youth facility in the interim.
The South African Police Service says preliminary investigations revealed that the teenager had previously been arrested on an intimidation charge in April this year.
IPSS Medical Rescue spokesperson Samantha Meyrick also alleged that the teenager had previously been involved in incidents concerning security officers and bomb scares at local shopping malls.
The school was not immediately available for comment.