School could be closed after alleged assault

MBOMBELA – Cefups Academy could close by the end of the week due to one of its pupils dying in hospital on Thursday after allegedly having been severely beaten with a sjambok.

The school has been shrouded in controversy before, with three of its boarding masters having been found guilty of assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm in 2012.

Paballo Seane (19) was in matric. When Lowvelder spoke to her mother, she informed the paper she was on her way to the city from Bloemfontein and would arrive on Monday night.

Mpumalanga Department of Education spokesman Mr Jasper Zwane said the department had urged the family to open a police case, which they had.

He also stated that the HOD, Ms Mohlasedi Mhlabane, had immediately sent an investigative team to the school to determine exactly what had happened and to ensure the perpetrators were brought to book.

“The inquest should be tabled by August 8 and if there are implications and probabilities of the school’s involvement, the HOD could close it down.”

It couldn’t be confirmed at this stage whether the girl had been beaten at the school.

She was taken to Mediclinic Nelspruit by ER24. Spokesman Mr Marius Koekemoer, said one of its ambulances had taken her to the hospital from the school after she had sustained injuries apparently from a sjambok. Her injuries were severe and she was admitted to ICU. She died later that night.

Capt Dawie Pretorius, local police spokesman said on enquiry that they had launched an inquest and that a post-mortem would be performed today.

Lowvelder uploaded the story about Paballo”s death on its website on Sunday. It has been inundated with comments from concerned parents and fellow pupils ever since.

• Lowvelder contacted one of the other parents who shared the story of her son’s alleged assault.

He is a 17-year-old grade 11 pupil. She said the incident happened last Monday. Her son told her that their class was making a noise when seven teachers apparently attacked them. She said her son had told her each teacher would supposedly decide which method they would use to punish each learner; irrespective of whether he/she was making a noise.

“My son said the process is called the ‘flying squad’. One teacher will use a sjambok; the other will kick you in the groin or wherever they feel like; while another will use fists to hit you. I was then called on Monday by the boarding master around 13:09 and he sounded very scared.

“He told me to take my son to hospital but could not explain what was wrong.” She said they then took him to Mediclinic Nelspruit where he was attended to and given steroids for treatment because he had a facial nerve disorder.

“When I got to the school on Tuesday, the principal refused to address me and they also refused to let me see my son. After driving four hours, I was not about to leave without seeing him and confirming that he was fine.”

The mother then called the police who inquired from the school what was happening. She said after this, the school released her son without any medication and only with the clothes he was wearing.

“I will never take my son back to that school; those people are evil. Even the builders get involved in beating up the children if the principal tells them to!”

• One comment read, “That school must be closed down; the horrific stories my son told me about everything that goes on there bring tears to my eyes. I feel sad for the family who lost their daughter at the hands of someone who thinks he’s got the upper hand and can do anything and get away with it. It is about time we stood together as parents and marched to the department to have that school closed.

• Another angry parent stated that she had once attended a parent meeting at Cefups. “To my shock parents knew that the school used corporal punishment. The owner spoke to parents any way he wanted.”

Jaconia Nkosi, Henry Mphokane and Nhlanhla Mazibuko had beaten Musa Nkambule, Tsholofelo Matabane, Hawick Miquen and Tshepo Ndlovu who had attended a beauty pageant at the school on April 21, 2012. The four were not pupils of Cefups, but were related to grade-11 pupil Nothando Kenny.

Lowvelder attempted to obtain comment from Cefups and left several messages with principal Mr Simon Mkhatshwa’s secretary, but to no avail.