LIMPOPO – A school in the Nzhelele area that apparently brought in a vigilante group dressed in camouflage uniforms to “teach unruly learners a lesson” has come under severe criticism from parents and the community.
Learners from Tswime Secondary School in Maluma claim that during the visit last Friday, some were assaulted for no apparent reason.
Some of the parents who spoke to CV on condition of anonymity said the school has in recent times experienced problems with substance abuse among learners.
Parents CV spoke to made it clear that they supported the school in its effort to address the problem but that they disagree with the way this was done.
The ordeal last Friday started shortly after the morning assembly at the school.
As one learner told CV: “When we saw the people dressed in camouflage uniforms, we at first thought they were members of the defence force coming to give us a career talk. We were surprised when they separated us, the Gr 10 to 12 learners, from the juniors and started searching us,” he said.
He said the men apparently found cigarettes and rizlas, as well as marijuana.
“That’s when they started to physically attack us using the metal side of a belt and the sole of a shoe. They also slapped us. Not all the learners were guilty. Some were beaten for not wearing proper or full school uniforms. They came there to teach unruly learners a lesson,” he said.
According to the learner, some of the boys asked the principal to take them to the hospital after they were beaten up, but this request was refused.
Three days later, the boy CV spoke to said his body was still aching.
“We want the principal to account for what happened. Those guys are not members of the SANDF. They have tattoos and they were wearing rings,” he said.
CV contacted the principal and members of the School Governing Body, of which neither opted to comment on the incident.
Mosebjeane Kgaffe, the acting director of communication at the Department of Education confirmed the following.
“The principal did not hire any gangsters to beat up learners. He implemented Section 8A of the South African Schools Act as amended, which empowers him to delegate a person or persons to conduct a search. We, however, condemn any physical assault against anybody. Section 8A of the Schools Act deals with bringing dangerous objects or illegal substances to the school. It does not deal with the use of outside parties to educate or punish learners for transgressions. Section 10 of the Schools Act, however, prohibits corporal punishment in schools and states that no person may administer corporal punishment at a school,” Kgaffe said, adding that the School Governing Body did handle the matter.
A guardian of one of the learners who claims to have been assaulted, said he is disappointed at the school’s decision to call outsiders to conduct searches, without first consulting the parents.
“We as parents plan to go the principal so she can explain her motives to us. The school has not contacted us since the incident,” he said.
He emphasised that parents do not condone substance abuse and believe that the school should act against offenders, but that this should be done properly and within the prescripts of the law.
