A nine-year-old boy was shot, allegedly by his stepfather, at a school in Umlazi's Z Section on Thursday, KwaZulu-Natal police said.

The boy was now fighting for his life in hospital, while the 22-year-old man had been arrested, Inspector Bonginkosi Thabethe said.

He said the man asked a teacher if he could speak to the boy, a grade four pupil at the school.

The teacher asked the boy if he knew the man, and the boy replied that it was his dad.

The man and the boy left the classroom.

"While they were outside one shot was allegedly fired," said Thabethe.

"The child came crawling back into the classroom after he had been allegedly shot below his chin. The man fled."

The man was due to appear at the Umlazi Magistrate’s Court on Friday.

Sapa

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