Cover-up

The parents of an eight-year-old Durban pupil who died after being punched by a teacher were offered R5000 and a food parcel as "a cultural offering" by the KwaZulu-Natal department of education.

But the parents of Zolani Gwala, a pupil at Mnamatha Primary School, are demanding that the department do more to bring the teacher allegedly responsible for his death to book.

"Our son's life is worth more than R5000 and a food parcel," the boy's father, Fama Gwala, said.

The department did not initiate a formal investigation because, it said, the family would not understand a "complex report".

Muzi Mahlambi, the department's spokesman, said education officials told the family that "on a humanitarian basis" the department did not want to conduct an "academic exercise" .

"We didn't want to say we investigated and this is the report. Other families would not understand a complex report so we sent the head of department and other officials to this family."

Mahlambi conceded that the teacher had been "wrong".

"[But] it is not within our jurisdiction to lay a criminal charge against her," he said.

Zolani died a few days after he was punched in the chest by his teacher for causing a disturbance in class, according to his father.

Gwala said the teacher assaulted his son because he was fighting with a classmate over a pen.

"Both children wanted the pen. They were arguing over it and that's when the teacher punched him, because he was making a noise in class."

Gwala said his son came home complaining of chest pains.

The next day the pain became severe. The boy started vomiting while Gwala and his wife were in the principal's office complaining about the teacher.

Zolani died a few days later in hospital. The death certificate states that the cause of death "is under investigation" but there is no indication that an investigation was launched.

Gwala laid a criminal complaint with the police but three months later they have not contacted him.

"We want justice. My wife can't cope," Gwala said.

"The police and department of education have not come back to us. The principal fired the teacher on the spot . The department must do something more ."

DA MPL Rafeek Shah said he was alarmed that no formal inquiry was under way.

"This is completely unacceptable. Not only has a young life been snuffed out, allegedly by a person charged with his care, but the alleged perpetrator has not been held to account.

"This teacher will in all likelihood simply move on to another teaching post - with young children under her care - with absolutely no retribution," he said.

Shah said he was told that the only assistance given by the department of education to the boy's family was a R5000 payment towards the funeral costs and a food parcel.

Mahlambi said the R5000 and food parcel were not given as compensation but were "a cultural offering".

He said the teacher had been given the "harshest punishment" by being prohibited from entering a classroom.

"We have [asked] the SA Council for Educators to block her licence so she is not able to practise as a teacher in South Africa or anywhere else in the world," he said.

The council's chief executive, Reg Brijraj, said he did not know if such a request had been made to the council.

"All teachers, even those employed by governing bodies, must be registered. They can be blocked or struck off the roll only after an SACE ruling," Brijraj said.

Gwala said he had not been told of an investigation by the council into his son's death.

The department of education did not respond to a request by The Times for a copy of the written complaint to the council.