DURBAN – A 15-year-old boy allegedly admitted to a psychiatric facility following an alleged attempt to bomb Ballito Junction mall in March has been arrested after a six-year-old girl was stabbed multiple times at a school in Umhlali on Tuesday morning.

The girl was critically injured in the attack at The Creative Classroom, where the suspect allegedly entered the premises unlawfully.

He made his way into a classroom and locked the door behind him. She suffered stab wounds to her chest, abdomen and arm. The incident took place in front of her classmates and teacher.

IPSS Medical Rescue paramedics treated the child at the scene before transporting her to a specialised medical facility for further treatment. She was reported to be in a critical but stable condition.

Early reports claim that a bystander reportedly forced open the classroom door, after which the teenager allegedly stabbed the girl before attempting to flee.

He was apprehended on the school grounds and is in police custody.

The attack has renewed scrutiny of the case surrounding the teenager’s alleged attempted bombing at Ballito Junction on March 31. Particularly because a manifesto attributed to him had reportedly identified the school as a target.

Warning signs in alleged manifesto

In July, it is alleged that a 10-page manifesto by the teenager was published on Telegram shortly before the attempted bombing at the shopping centre.

The document reportedly outlined his motives and plans. Furthermore, it glorified mass killers and described his interest in online communities associated with violent extremism.

“You’ll pay for what you did to me,” read part of the manifesto, which also referred to people associated with Creative Classroom.

The teenager had reportedly previously attended the school but was no longer enrolled there.

The manifesto also referred to alleged earlier incidents.

These include an attempt to stab a pupil at another school in 2024 and an incident in which he claimed to have pepper-sprayed shoppers at another Ballito shopping centre.

In July, an overseas member of the Telegram group allegedly alerted the FBI to the teenager’s plans.

By the time the warning reached South African authorities, however, the attempted bombing had already taken place.

The improvised explosive device reportedly emitted smoke but failed to detonate, apparently because of an assembly fault.

Questions over handling of previous incident

The teenager was subsequently admitted to Town Hill Hospital, a specialised psychiatric facility in Pietermaritzburg.

He was allegedly arrested on 3 July after allegedly being seen at Ballito Junction on July 1. He was later released after appearing at the KwaDukuza Regional Court, where the matter was not enrolled.

Moroever, it is alleged from a source within the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security Cluster that police initially refused to register a criminal case and returned the failed explosive device to the teenager’s mother.

Police reportedly denied aspects of that account. They stated that officers attended the complaint, opened a case, seized the alleged explosive device and investigated the matter.

The latest incident raises further questions about the handling of the earlier case.

Particularly, the investigation’s progress and whether any measures were in place to address the risks identified in the alleged manifesto.

Items reportedly found at the school on Tuesday reportedly included a large kitchen knife, cable ties, an improvised firearm fitted with a knife resembling a bayonet, a tactical belt and an army-style duffel bag containing camouflage clothing.

Several containers of unidentified chemicals were also reportedly discovered.

The police bomb disposal unit and the Hawks attended the scene.

Circumstances surrounding Tuesday’s attack remain under investigation. The teenager’s identity has been withheld because he is a minor.