An alleged communication gap between parents and a school led to a massive mishap and an ablaze on social media.
On Friday, May 17 a child was seen unattended at Tasbet Park Primary School around 17:30 by a resident living in the area.
The child was sitting outside the school crying, saying that his transport forgot him after he was at detention that day.
The resident immediately contacted South African Community Crime Watch (SACCW) for help and responder Tommie Potgieter set out to the school. He communicated with the relevant people and Maureen Scheepers, operation co-ordinator of SACCW took the child to Witbank SAPS after she got the permission to transport the child. Scheepers assisted police in getting the child home safe.
The child had no idea where he lives.
The only thing he knew was that he lives in Ezinambeni.
The message of the child was put on social media, broadcasted on Emalahleni FM while police did what they could to assist in getting the child home safely.
There were no parental contact details in the child’s school bag and no means to contact any relatives.
“We waited at the station and it was decided that the youngster be taken to the Vosman Police Station as that is the closest station to his home. Constables Anele Mhlana and Solomon Khumalo from Witbank Station took a special interest in helping the youngster and they really went the extra mile,” Scheepers said.
Instead of taking the child to the station, the officers decided to drive around Ezinambeni, hoping that the child can find his way home.
As they were driving around, the area started to look familiar to the boy and he took the officers right to his home, where he was dropped off safe.
The school was contacted on numerous occasions but it was relayed to WITBANK NEWS that they can not give comment regarding the incident, but rather the Department of Education.
Spokesperson Mr Jasper Zwane was contacted and he said: “It is important that the school is not to blame. If they relayed the information toward the parents that the child is at detention, then it is the sole responsibility of the parents to ensure the child gets home safe. We regularly experience challenges and the blame can not be put on the school when the parents must make it their business for their child to be taken home after school. If the parents were aware of the detention and did not respond in getting their child home, they can not obligate the school to do that. If the correct communication was sent to the parents then it remains their responsibility. We urgently appeal to parents to ensure that your children get home safe especially when they make use of public transport. Your kids are primarily your responsibility. We thank and acknowledge those who went the extra mile in getting the boy home safe and we thank you for your assistance.”
The father of the boy was contacted and he explained: “The incident happened I believe, because of a lack of communication because my son was at detention. The message of the detention was relayed via paper toward me and the mother and we discussed that I will fetch him from school after confirmation about the detention and all the details thereof. The mother and I don’t live together and according to me, the mom had to still go to school and confirm the detention. The arrangement was that she should inform me whether I should still fetch our son from school after detention which she did not do.”
Sgt David Ratau, police spokesperson for Witbank Police stated firmly that each child should have a family contact number in their school bag.
“I am appealing to parents to stop scaring their children with the police and to stop threatening them with the police if the children are naughty,” Sgt Ratau added.
Because when the time comes for the police to help children, the kids are scared of the police. Sgt Ratau is also the adopt-a-cop for the school involved.
