A PUPIL was killed when he was run over by a liquor truck as he was on his way to the Protea magistrate's court for the Molemo Maarohanye case.

A PUPIL was killed when he was run over by a liquor truck as he was on his way to the Protea magistrate's court for the Molemo Maarohanye case.

On Wednesday the pupil from Anchor High School in Meadowlands, Soweto, joined a group of pupils led by the Congress of South African Students (Cosas) for a protest outside the court.

Gauteng education department spokesperson Charles Phahlane said the pupils had just left Thutolore Secondary School when the accident happened.

Police spokesperson Superintendent Lindiwe Mbatha said: "A SAB truck was on its way to deliver liquor when the pupils got onto the truck to steal the liquor. The truck driver feared for his life and sped to the police station.

"He was unaware that he had run over the teenager."

Mbatha was not sure how the accident happened.

But Cosas claims the boy who died was not a pupil.

"He was just a guy who was on the truck. He was not a pupil," Cosas regional chairperson Kenneth Mbatha said.

Cosas has demanded that Gauteng MEC for education Barbara Creecy give them time off to attend the case.

Phahlane said: "We are aware of the situation of some learners supporting their fellow learners at court and are addressing it."

National Association of Schools Governing Bodies Chairperson Mahlomola Kekana said: "Cosas have to be advised. This is a short academic year. We cannot lose a single day of school. There is no way learners can bunk school every time Jub Jub attends court. The stealing of alcohol is also uncalled for because we have now lost another learner."

Yesterday about 50 pupils broke the windows of chicken outlet Galitos near the court. They tried to push their way into the restaurant, but the owner quickly locked the doors and fled.

Mbatha said: "As a leader, I cannot be everywhere and I do not know anything about the incident. If it happened, we are disappointed in our members."