THE 15-year-old pupil who stabbed to death a Grade 11 pupil Lwazi Gama at New West Secondary School in Durban is alleged to have a history ofviolence.

THE 15-year-old pupil who stabbed to death a Grade 11 pupil Lwazi Gama at New West Secondary School in Durban is alleged to have a history ofviolence.

The suspect is being held at a place of safety in Durban and will appear in court on February 17.

Gama, 16, was stabbed outside the school premises on Tuesday.

His devastated family is still trying to come to terms with their loss, said they had information that the suspect had a previous stabbing charge. "We were told that he was out on bail for stabbing his own sister," his stepmother Nqobile Mbatha said.

She appealed to the provincial department of education to provide "well-trained security personnel" and that all pupils be searched when entering school premises.

"Lwazi was a loving child and had his heart set on studying architecture or town planning."

She said she would always remember him as an "angel".

Locals who gathered at the family home to pay their last respects to the slain pupil described him as a "star with so much promise".

Best friend Sandile Majola said: "At school they called him the peacemaker because when other pupils wanted to fight, he would jump in."

The funeral takes place at Blaaubosch in Newcastle tomorrow.

Police spokesperson Vincent Mdunge said police would investigate whether the youth accused of the killing had previous convictions for violent crimes.