Panic after ‘demonic attack’ at Byo school

There was mayhem at Amhlophe High School, in Bulawayo’s Pumula East suburb, Friday, after about thirty learners suffered hysterical attacks.

The incident occurred at around 8 am just as the learners were starting their lessons.

When a CITE news crew arrived at the school, the commotion had died down and learners and members of the community were milling around the school discussing the shocking events.

The headmistress, Mrs Tshabalala, declined to talk to CITE and referred the publication to the acting Provincial Education Director (PED) Jane Ndebele who also refused to comment on the matter.

Eyewitnesses said the commotion started in one of the classes when some of the learners started acting strangely and it soon spread to other classes.

The learners were reportedly screaming and made uncoordinated noises and movements throwing the entire school into a panic.

Some of the community members had no kind words for the school authorities who reportedly blocked some prophets who had been called to pray for the affected learners.  

“One of the learners jumped out through the window and when she landed outside she started eating some of the broken pieces of glass,” one of the parents noted. 

“Another learner was moving and sticking her tongue out like a snake. It was like what we see in the movies, we have never seen anything like that in person.”

A parent of one of the affected learners who identified herself said some learners stormed into her yard in the morning telling her to rush to the school and attend to her daughter.

“I rushed to the school and when I got there my child was kneeling there praying in tongues. Some of the “possessed” children charged towards her, one of them pushed her and she fell to the ground where she started frothing from the mouth,” she said.

“We carried her home and she hasn’t been ok since. She kept screaming saying she is seeing snakes and people dressed in black. She was so terrified.”

The CITE news crew visited one of the affected learners and saw the teenage girl who seemed to unaware of her surroundings and was visibly shaking as she sat on a couch.

Another member of the community who identified himself as Mr Ndlovu called on the government to look into the issue.

“One of the teachers in there denied the prophets entry into the school. Surely in that dire situation what parent would not want assistance for their child. The teachers act like they have something to hide. We will never feel safe sending our children to this school if the situation is not rectified,” Ndlovu said.