South African schools are becoming fertile grounds for killing pupils by other pupils, a religious youth body said on Wednesday.

'It seems to be fashionable to take a knife and kill fellow pupils," said the SA Council of Churches Youth Forum in a statement.

It called on the Education Department to "wake up" and work with communities and stop school violence.

"Perhaps it is high time that the [education] ministry calls a summit to discuss the safety question, with all the stakeholders involved, otherwise we would continue to breed thugs who are comfortable with violating and murdering fellow pupils," the statement read.

It called on churches, community organisations and people who had an influence in communities to condemn such violence. It claimed that Satanism played a role in the most recent killing, of a pupil at a Krugersdorp school on Monday.

"Together we can fight Satanism and other influences of such actions, and learners can go to school without fear of being attacked by fellow learners."

A matric boy at the Nic Diederichs Technical High School, Morne Harmse, allegedly stabbed and killed fellow pupil Jacques Pretorius (16), with a sword at the school on Monday. He also allegedly injured another boy and two gardeners.

Harmse's case of murder and three of attempted murder was postponed on Wednesday by the Krugersdorp Magistrate's Court. He would remain in custody until his next appearance on 27 August.

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Sapa