A case of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm has been opened against a teacher who allegedly lashed a girl pupil 92 times on her hands with a plastic pipe for writing an essay that was too long.
Gauteng police spokesperson Capt Tintswalo Sibeko confirmed that the case was opened at Protea Glen police station on Tuesday.
“The docket has been transferred to the Moroka family violence, child protection and sexual offences [unit] for further investigation. No arrest has been made yet, and an investigation is under way,” Sibeko said.
Sowetan understands that a police investigator has already been assigned to the case and is expected to visit the school to take statements from workers and pupils who witnessed the teacher giving the lashes to the Grade 11 pupil on Friday last week. The incident took place at Tetelo Secondary School in Protea North, Soweto.
According to the family of the girl and her classmates, the teacher had given the class a task to write a 150-word essay; however, the teenager wrote 308 words.
The teacher allegedly said she would give her 158 lashes to match the number of words she exceeded in her essay.
While watching the girl being beaten repeatedly, some boys in the class offered to take 10 lashes each to spare her. The teacher proceeded to beat them too with the same pipe.
The teenage girl had to receive medical treatment after her left hand started swelling and developed blood clots.
Administering corporal punishment is illegal in schools in South Africa, but the teacher is allegedly still working at the school. The school’s principal has been accused of protecting her by downplaying the assault.
The incident triggered anger in the community and on Wednesday parents, the school governing body and community members led a march demanding that the principal take action. Teachers from nearby schools were seen taunting the marchers and blocking the school entrance to protect the teacher and the principal.
The march was organised by the Each One Teach One Foundation, a civic organisation.
South African Democratic Teachers’ Union members outside the school claimed that the demonstration was not about corporal punishment but was driven by parents and members of the foundation who were opposed to the acting principal.
Tseliso Ledimo, Sadtu’s provincial secretary, said he was not aware of the alleged assault and the presence of union members outside the school during the march on Wednesday.
“Unfortunately, I don’t have the details,” he said. “I’m not aware of that action. I am at the provincial level, and some of these matters happen at the branch level and are not necessarily reported upwards,” he said.
When informed that the incident related to allegations of corporal punishment at the school, Ledimo said he would need to investigate before commenting further.
Sowetan
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