Gauteng education will study court order to pay ex-pupil R23 million

The Gauteng education department will study a court decision awarding R23.5 million to a pupil injured 10 years ago, an official said on Thursday.

"The department has noted the court's decision, and... will be studying the judgment before making any comments," spokesman Gershwin Chuenyane said in a statement.

The education MEC was ordered by the High Court in Pretoria to pay R23.5m in damages to a judge's son, the Star reported on Thursday.

Christian Rabie, 23, suffered various injuries when he fractured his skull during a school playground game 10 years ago.

KwaZulu-Natal Judge Piet Koen was called to adjudicate over how much damages should be awarded to Rabie.

He was awarded R20.2m for loss of income and earning capacity, R800,000 in general damages, R787,386 towards future medical expenses, and R1.6m as a 7.5 percent add-on for the cost of protecting the award, according to the report.

The judge ordered that a trust fund be established to administer the money.

The son of Pretoria High Court Judge Pierre Rabie was hurt in a game where older boys flipped the younger ones into the air in a cricket net.

During a break on July 31, 2003, and in grade eight at the time, he was tossed into the air and fell to the ground.

The court had earlier ruled that the education department was liable for damages.

The department in 2008 appealed against the ruling that it was held 100 percent liable for damages, but five years ago the court turned down the appeal and said Rabie lacked the maturity to realise he could be injured.

He is now a law student at the University of SA.