A teacher will serve a one-year jail sentence after a Alexandra Magistrates Court magistrate sentenced her to six years behind bars, with five years suspended for assaulting a pupil with a hosepipe in February last year.
Handing down the sentence, Magistrate Gideon Suhnetler, who has certainly set the precedent as this is the first time in South Africa a teacher has been sentenced to prison, said it was high time teachers started respecting that corporal punishment has no place in the country, Sowetan reported on Friday.
According to the paper, Grade 2 teacher at Gordon’s Primary in Alexandra, Philippine Mamohalepule Rakosa assaulted an 8-year-old with a hosepipe for failing a test.
The paper also reports that a medical doctor testified that the child suffered hand sepsis – a skin infection that changes a wound to various colours.
Gauteng department of education spokeswoman Phumla Sekhonyane said the ruling would send a strong message to teachers who break the law.
Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package. 
