Police Arrest Learner, Her Parents for 'Assaulting Teacher' in Free State: "So Sad"
- Police in Botshabelo near Bloemfontein arrested a schoolgirl and her parents for allegedly assaulting a teacher at the Setjhaba Se Maketse school
- The group allegedly attacked the male educator for reportedly casting a spell over the learner that caused her to collapse outside the classroom
- South Africans were appalled on social media and took to airing their frustrations at the level of violence prevalent at the country's schools
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BOTSHABELO - A female learner and her parents are in police custody for allegedly assaulting a Grade 11 educator at the Setjhaba Se Maketse Combined School in Botshabelo, Free State, on Thursday.
The trio reportedly attacked the teacher after the learner mysteriously crumpled to the ground outside the classroom. Her parents were notified of the incident and made their way to the school.
Source: Getty Images
SAPS spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Thabo Covane said the learner and her mother and father hurled insults at the teacher and beat him up once he made his way out of the classroom, News24 reported.
"The child had allegedly collapsed outside the teacher's classroom earlier in the day before her parents went to the school and confronted the teacher. They called him a demon and made death threats against him," said Covane.
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"When the educator exited the classroom, they attacked him, and the school laptop [he was holding] fell onto the ground and was damaged. The suspects were arrested for common assault, among other charges, and will appear in court soon," added Covane.
Corrupt school head axed
Briefly News has it on good authority the learner's parents were taken to the Botshabelo police station. Meanwhile, the 16-year-old was released under the Beijing Rules, a resolution in which a child is placed under the supervision of a specific adult or peer mentor to monitor the child's behaviour.
Elsewhere in Botshabelo, an acting principal failed to overturn his dismissal by the Free State Department of Education after an investigation found that he shared an illicit payment on a textbook order with a school official in the province.
TimesLIVE reported that the acting school head from Ditholwana Primary School split R6 000 with the chairperson of the school governing body, the Education Labour Relations Council (ELCR) declared during a bargaining council sitting.
Locals online berate actions
South Africans gasped collectively on social media and lamented the incident. Many users aimed a dig at the supposed violent propensity among learners. Below are some of the loudest reactions to the incident.
@Morne Klein wrote:
"The correct way to deal with an assault on teachers. Not just sweeping it under the carpet."
@Nlc DieGriek said:
"Student must be expelled from school and criminal charges laid againt them."
@Aubrey Ayoba Mnisi added:
"Regardless of who is wrong, am so disappointed in those parents, violence is not the solution to solve problems, how are they going to guide their kids tomorrow."
Mob allegedly kidnaps 162 learners in North West
Elsewhere, Briefly News previously reported that about 162 learners were allegedly forcefully taken after an apparent drunk group of people pretending to be parents arrived at a farm school near Rustenburg in the North West earlier in January.
According to TimesLIVE, the mob descended on the Moedwil, Naauwpoort and Boons Mega Combined Schools in four vehicles and forced their way onto the grounds after overpowering the security guards at the premises.
The learners are from the Tirelong Secondary School in Kroondal but had been housed following an incident at their school in which thieves stole various items essential to learning.
Source: Briefly News
