Investigations are underway at a crèche in Mohlakeng, west of Johannesburg, after allegations surfaced that the principal assaulted a toddler.

“The Gauteng Department of Education can confirm that investigations are underway about assault allegations and the registration status of the said early childhood development centre. Outcomes thereof will determine action to be taken,” the department’s spokesperson, Steve Mabona, told Randfontein Herald.

The investigation comes after a mother of one of the learners explained her child, who is almost two years old, was slapped, allegedly by the principal of the school.

“On July 11, I went to fetch my daughter from the school, and before we even approached the gate, I could hear my child screaming. When I was about to enter the school grounds, the principal approached me and said that she had sent me a text stating that I should bring clean clothes for my daughter. Unfortunately, I hadn’t seen the message, so she asked me to go back home to fetch the clothes, which I did. I went back with the clean clothes, then she changed her. While we were driving away, I saw the marks on my daughter’s face,” the mother said.

At first, she thought she was imagining it and asked for a second opinion from the other children in the car at the time. Along with the child’s grandmother, they returned to the school and questioned the principal about what happened, to which she replied she did not know as she was busy tying another child’s shoe.

“She also said she doesn’t beat children, but my child had marks, and no toddler can slap another child so hard that five fingerprints would appear on their cheeks.”

She added that this is not the first time there has been a complaint of violence at the school. According to the mother, the principal stated she had previously fired a teacher who had slapped a child.

“My concerns are that if my child was slapped that day, it means it might have been ongoing. She’s doing well now, but the first two days after the incident, she’d repeatedly mentioned it and even touched her left cheek. One thing I know about toddlers is that they love imitating what other people do to them, especially adults. I feel guilty because I was not there to protect her,” she stated.

She concluded: “I’d advise people to do a bit of research before taking their children to any crèche.”

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