Paballo Seanne was apparently sjambokked and beaten for getting low marks. The principal and security guard who are alleged to have committed the assault have been charged with murder. Picture: Supplied / AENS.
A school principal and security guard have been charged with murder and 25 counts of assault following the death of a 19-year-old student in 2014, The Sowetan has reported.
Paballo Seanne died in hospital from her injuries after being allegedly assaulted, sjambokked and beaten at Cefups Academy in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga.
The two suspects appeared in the Nelspruit Magistrates’ Court last week on charges of murder, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm and 24 other charges of common assault, according to the NPA.
The case has been postponed to August 22 for further investigation.
A third suspect in the case, school founder Simon Mkhatshwa, was removed from the case after he passed away last year.
On Monday, Seanne’s brother told The Sowetan that his family was unhappy with how the case had been handled, saying the police failed to charge the suspects at the time of the incident.
READ MORE: Principal facing probes after pupil dies of head injuries
Earlier in the year The Citizen reported another incident of a pupil dying from injuries caused by the school principal.
A Limpopo school principal was reported to be facing criminal and departmental investigations following the death of a pupil, several days after he allegedly banged her against a staffroom windowpane.
The incident allegedly took place on May 28 during school hours at E.D.L. Rampola Secondary School in Mokopane, in full view of pupils and teachers.
Police said the pupil, identified as Dimakatjo Diale of Extension 17 in Mahwelereng, near Mokopane, sustained serious head injuries during the incident.
Diale died on June 9 at Mokopane Hospital.
The deceased’s family spokesperson, Matsobane Magongwa, said the 17-year-old Grade 8 pupil came back home from school at about 11am and told them the reason she came early was because she was not feeling well.
“She said she was hit on the head by the window while basking in the sun at the side of the staffroom,” said Magongwa.
He added that the following day the wound became swollen and she was taken to the local hospital were she died on Saturday.
“We are not pointing fingers here but we are mourning the loss of our child,” he said. “Teachers should be second parents of our children while at school.
“We’ve entrusted them with the future and lives of our children. If anything happens at school, we expect the head of the school to come forward and talk to us.
“But that was not the case with the principal of the same school were our child’s dilemma started. But we believe the law is on our side and will do everything to get to the bottom of this,” Magongwa added.
– Additional reporting by Alex Matlala
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