The mother of an eight-year-old Eastern Cape pupil has told how bullying drove her daughter to take her own life.
Imibongo Ntamehlo, of Gxulu Junior Secondary Secondary, Libode, outside Mthatha, was ridiculed, mocked and beaten up by her schoolmates for a long time. On Sunday she’d had enough and decided to hang herself at home.
“I was in church when it happened,” said Imibongo’s mother Sisipho Ntamehlo. “She asked the younger children who were with her to go outside. When they later realised she was motionless, they called a man from the neighbourhood.
“I was shocked because there were no signs she was suicidal. She never even threatened to [do so].”
Sisipho said other schoolchildren made her daughter’s life a living hell. “She was isolated for carrying R2 at school while others had R10. We are struggling because I’m unemployed,” she said.
“During break time she would stand by the classroom or play alone because she was isolated. I told her that’s not normal and I will go to the school speak to her teacher. She didn’t have friends at all.”
The teacher understood my daughter’s situation and even arranged for to have friends. She confirmed she was alright and had friends. That was on Friday — before she [took her own life] on Sunday
The situation did not end on the school premises. “On their way from and to school she was also bullied. While on the transport from and to school, other pupils would beat her up and force her to create space for them.
“I would go and confront those bullies and warned them to refrain from bullying my child because she wants education just like them. They would beat her up for things that didn’t make sense.”
A fellow pupil once grabbed her bread and threw it on the ground, then put a foot on it. Sisipho brought the matter to the attention of child’s parent. “The parent apologised and I understood because it’s not something the parent would have liked the child to do.”
In one of the numerous incidents of bullying, her classmates told her the teacher wanted her to clean the board. As a result, she received corporal punishment since this was not what the teacher had instructed.
“I had to go to school to discuss the matter with the teachers. The child who set up my child eventually got punished. They apologised and the teacher started looking for friends for her.
“The teacher understood my daughter’s situation and even arranged for to have friends. She confirmed she was alright and had friends. That was on Friday — before she [took her own life] on Sunday.”
Sisipho said her daughter faced many challenges caused by bullying. Sometimes she would not approach the school when sorting out the issues. “I would go to the parent of a child who had wronged my child and try to address the matter.”
Imibongo will be laid to rest in Gxulu village on March 21.
Daily Dispatch
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