Investigation underway after shocking videos at Pretoria crèche

Videos that show two women, allegedly teachers, a mother, and her daughter, manhandling and beating toddlers at a crèche in Pretoria Gardens have sent shockwaves across the country.

Despite the investigations and cases leveled against the school, the school is still open and still operating as normal.

The crèche is owned by two sisters, Lizelle Guida Zimmermann and Lucinda Correia, who also teach at the school. Their mother, Anna Peyper Correia, is also involved as a teacher.

Rekord previously contacted both Lizelle and Lucinda for comment and asked for contact details for Anna but was referred to their lawyer, Jaco Koster, who answered and denied all the allegations on their behalf.

WATCH: Shocking! Pretoria teachers caught on camera beating toddlers at crèche

Koster said the school was started in 2020 with only six children and has now grown to 35 children in the crèche and 30 children in aftercare.

After some investigation, Rekord discovered that the school opened its doors in 2018 and not 2020, as stated by Koster.

Rekord reported on Tuesday that the school has not been registered yet as the application to register the school had not been submitted yet.

“The investigation is still ongoing and we can confirm that our clients have complied with the requests of all the relevant parties, and given their full co-operation to finalise the investigation.

“We can however confirm that the enterprise status as per the records of CIPC, states that the enterprise is in business.”

The videos were taken by a teacher, Tiffany Mostert, who reported that she could not bear to witness the behaviour such as what has been captured on video any longer.

In one harrowing video, the woman is seen spanking a child in the toilet.

According to Mostert, the child was beaten after refusing to eat.

In another video, a woman who appears to be Anna, is seen using force to get a blonde little girl to sit in a certain position on the floor.

In a third video, a woman who appears to be Lizelle is seen spanking a boy in front of his classmates. The scared children are seen standing around, crying hysterically.

Gauteng Education Department spokesperson Steve Mabona said on Thursday the investigation is underway.

He had previously said that they are aware and ‘extremely disturbed by this unfortunate incident.’

” According to information at our disposal, the incident is alleged to have occurred in 2021.

“The implicated ECD centre operates as a private crèche and is not registered as a Partial care facility with the Gauteng Department of Education, in accordance with the Children’s Act 38 of 2005,” Mabona said.

ALSO READ: Update: Team to investigate shocking videos at Pretoria crèche

He furthermore said the parents of the affected child had opened a child abuse case at the local Police Station.

“Our psychosocial team was dispatched to offer necessary support to the affected child and family.

“A team of officials has been allocated to investigate and intervene accordingly. The final report will be finalized when all due processes have been concluded.”

Rekord spoke to one of the mothers of the two children seen in the videos.

The mother confirmed that the Gauteng Department of Education did contact them and made arrangements for therapy.

She said they would be taking their little girl for therapy as these incidents have traumatised her.

“If someone raises their voice around her, she immediately starts crying and she is struggling with nightmares.”

The mother, who is furious about the matter, said she wanted justice for her little girl.

“I cannot believe that people like this are allowed to be around children.”

Do you have more information about the story?

Please send us an email to editorial@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.

For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites: Rekord East

For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram