Own Correspondent|The body of a grade one pupil who was stabbed to death at his North West school in South Africa has arrived home in Zimbabwe ahead of his funeral.

The boy will be laid to rest in Mount Darwin over 200 kilometres north of the capital Harare.

The seven-year-old was stabbed multiple times in a bathroom at his school last week, allegedly by an older boy.

The grade 11 suspect was arrested and is expected back in court next week.

After meeting with their relatives on arrival here in Zimbabwe, the tragedy of the little boy’s murder appears to have sunk in.

It has been a difficult two weeks for the visibly distraught family, but the child’s father says preparations are well underway for tomorrow to bid farewell to his last born child.

It took the parents of the slain little boy 26 hours to travel to Mount Darwin from South Africa.

The family says last minute touches are being put in place to ensure the boy is given the dignified burial he deserves.

The grade one learner was stabbed multiple times at the school in the North West allegedly by a grade 11 learner from another school.

According to the Department of Basic Education, the incident occurred at Dikeledi Makapan Primary School in Makapanstad.

The grade 11 pupil had allegedly been hiding in the primary school’s toilet before he repeatedly stabbed the learner to death.

In a statement, the department said: “It is alleged that the suspect apparently slept in the toilet overnight without anyone knowing he was there. The deceased was one of the first to go to the toilet in the morning and the grade 11 learner allegedly repeatedly stabbed him. He was rushed to the local clinic where he was certified dead.”

The principal of the school managed to apprehend the alleged perpetrator and handed him over to the police.

“It appears the suspect knew the deceased, and it is alleged that he was in a romantic relationship with the grade 1 learner’s older sister who also attends Mankala Technical High School with the suspect,” the statement said.

“It is believed the couple may have had a fallout and the alleged perpetrator targeted the younger brother. However, police will conduct a full investigation around the circumstance of this horrific murder.”

Minister Angie Motshekga has sent her deepest condolences to the family of the deceased and North West MEC for Education, Jonas Sello Lehari, is expected to visit the school on Thursday morning.