TimesLive writes that the vicious assault of a KwaZulu-Natal school principal, which left him injured and too traumatised to return to work for a year, has brought into sharp focus the issue of pupil-on-teacher violence.  

The attack and several others came to light during an oversight visit by the Democratic Alliance (DA) to Ndwedwe, about 60km north of Durban last week.  A spate of violent incidents, officials said, points to faction fighting in the district with some teachers allegedly mobilising pupils to settle scores against their rivals.  Isifiso Sethu High School has been a flashpoint.  The principal confirmed that he was assaulted by a gang of pupils in January last year.  Basil Manual of the National Professional Teachers' Organisation of SA (Naptosa) said it was dangerous for pupils to be drawn into teachers' squabbles.  National Teachers' Union (Natu) spokesman Allen Thompson said school security needed to improve.

• Read this report by Jeff Wicks in full at TimesLive

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