Teacher recovering after ‘assault’ by pupil, 17, at Limpopo primary school

A teacher is on the mend after he was allegedly viciously assaulted by a grade 7 pupil at a Limpopo school last week.

The incident happened at Rammupudu Primary l in Tafelkop last Monday, according to Limpopo police.

Police said the alleged attack happened after the two got into a heated altercation over the removal of posters from the teacher's classroom.

"The victim approached the suspect to find out the reasons for removing the materials from the board, and the suspect allegedly hit him with a piece of wooden table on the head.

"The victim sustained serious injuries."

Police confirmed the 17-year-old was arrested.

Provincial education spokesperson Matome Taueatsoala confirmed the incident.

Taueatsoala said the pupil got into an altercation with the teacher over the posters.

"The boy allegedly charged at the teacher, who demanded the return of the posters by the end of the school day," he said.

"We don't know what would have led the pupil to go home and return closer to the end of the school day with stones and wait next to the teacher's car. When the teacher approached, the boy [allegedly] charged at him with the stones but the teacher somehow accosted him."

Taueatsoala said a friend of the boy allegedly entered the fray by providing him with a plank used to allegedly assault the teacher.

He said the teacher sustained a "very bad wound".

He confirmed the teacher received treatment and has since been discharged from hospital. He has been booked off work and continues to receive medical treatment.

The pupil has been suspended "pending a disciplinary hearing" on February 27, he said.

Questioned about records of the pupil's behaviour, Taueatsoala said there were previous cases of alleged ill-discipline against him at the school. 

He explained the challenge of keeping him at the school, saying it was difficult to recommend a special school because he stays in a village.

"Because it's a village school, there's no choice but to keep him there until something comes up," he said.

This incident comes days after a principal was hospitalised after he was shot by a grade 6 pupil at a school in Germiston. The 13-year-old attacked the principal at Primrose Primary after the latter instructed him to take out his workbook and study. The teen faces an attempted murder charge and his father was charged in connection with negligent safekeeping of a firearm. 

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