Schoolgirl killed by teacher's car in Soshanguve, another raped in Tembisa

12 February 2020 - 20:10 By Naledi Shange
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Gauteng education MEC Panyaza Lesufi, whose department on Wednesday announced that a Soshanguve learner had been killed by a teacher, and a girl at a special-needs school in Tembisa was raped by a classmate.
Gauteng education MEC Panyaza Lesufi, whose department on Wednesday announced that a Soshanguve learner had been killed by a teacher, and a girl at a special-needs school in Tembisa was raped by a classmate.
Image: Gallo Images / Foto24 / Theana Breugem

The Gauteng education department has lost yet another learner. This time, a 11-year-old girl from Raikana Primary School in Soshanguve, outside Pretoria, was killed.

“She was knocked down by a motor vehicle - ironically by an educator from Arethabeng Primary School,” said spokesperson Steve Mabona.

“The learner was rushed to a local clinic. Unfortunately the learner died while receiving medical attention at the clinic."

It was not immediately clear whether the accident happened on or outside the school premises.

The girl is the 13th Gauteng pupil to die since the start of the school year. On Tuesday, Kelebogile Reuben Molopyane, a grade 10 learner at Ferndale High School, died after falling from a balcony of the second floor of the Randburg school.

Meanwhile, the education department also reported that tragedy had struck again on Wednesday: a 15-year-old learner with special needs was raped at the Ecaleni School for Learners with Special Needs in Tembisa.

Her alleged rapist is a fellow schoolmate.

Mabona said the victim is autistic and non-verbal, while her attacker was a 17-year-old boy who was in the vocational section of the school.

“It is alleged that the perpetrator followed the victim in the autism-phase classrooms, which are barricaded from the vocational area, and allegedly raped her behind the classes,” said Mabona.

“An assistant teacher saw the perpetrator coming from behind the classroom zipping up his pants and the victim was also seen pulling up her pants. Police were called and arrested the perpetrator - and later released him into his parents’ custody.”

The girl’s parents were also informed.

Mabona said the school government body (SGB) would take further action.

Psycho-social units will be deployed on Thursday to the school in Tembisa where the rape occurred, as well as to the Soshanguve school where the learner died.


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