A matric boy fired shots at fellow pupils aboard a school bus in Pinetown near Durban on Friday afternoon, wounding two classmates, KwaZulu-Natal police said.
Spokesperson Inspector Rani John said the boy, from Pinetown Boys High School, was apparently playing with the gun when it went off.
One of the wounded, a 17-year-old boy, was hit in the face and was in a critical condition in hospital. The second one, age unknown, was wounded in the shoulder and was in a stable condition.
The gun-wielding pupil ran away when the bus came to a standstill opposite Pinetown police station.
John said: ”At this stage is not clear how many shots were fired.”
Other pupils told reporters the boy took the gun out and swung it around his finger. The trigger was apparently activated and the firearm went off.
The bus driver, Cyprian Mabaso, said he stopped when he heard screams.
John said police were still searching for the boy by late afternoon. — Sapa