A KwaZulu-Natal high school pupil has been arrested after allegedly stabbing another pupil at school on Wednesday.

According to security company Reaction Unit SA (Rusa), they were called out to the school in Waterloo, Verulam, north of Durban, after a fight broke out.

“On arrival of reaction officers it was established that a grade 11 learner was being assaulted with a wooden plank by five boys. He drew an Okapi pocket knife and stabbed one of his attackers,” said Prem Balram, Rusa spokesperson.

KZN SAPS spokesperson Captain Nqobile Gwala said a case of assault with the purpose to inflict grievous bodily harm was opened at Verulam police station.

“The suspect, aged 18, was arrested at the scene and is appearing today in the Verulam magistrate's court,” she said.

Gwala added that the victim, also 18, was stabbed in the back.

Meanwhile, the KZN education department has appealed to parents to help in the fight against violence at schools.

“The issue of bullying in our schools is a huge problem. The root cause of this does not start at the school but can be traced back home. We appeal to our parents to help us in this regard,” said education spokesperson Muzi Mahlambi.

In 2019 the province was plagued by a number of security problems, including pupil violence and school break-ins.

In one instance, in December, a 24-year-old pupil was sentenced to 17 years in prison after he assaulted, hijacked and tried to kill his schoolteacher.

And in another instance, four teens were arrested after 15-year-old Moyeni Walter was fatally shot in the vicinity of his school in Durban in September.