Pupil knifes teacher
A 17-year-old Dobsonville, Soweto, pupil who stabbed a teacher yesterday is expected to appear in court today.
He plunged the knife in her stomach and ran away
The boy said before his arrest that he bought the knife on Wednesday to be ready in case he had a run-in with the teacher.
Pupils at PJ Simelane Secondary School have accused the teacher, Thembi Sithole, of being overzealous in punishing them. But the Congress of South African Students (Cosas) was quick to deny that the attack was related to their call that pupils should wage war on teachers who beat them.
When Sowetan went to the Grade 9 pupil's home yesterday, he said: "I want to apologise to the teacher. I am so scared right now."
Pupils at the school said that teacher, who is recovering at Tshepo Themba Hospital, was a disciplinarian. "When your class teacher does not want to beat you herself, they send you to her," a pupil said.
The teacher allegedly slapped and caned the pupil on Wednesday. After the beating, the boy went to buy a knife.
Yesterday, Sithole apparently slapped the boy for being late and he stabbed her in the stomach.
"I ran away because I was so scared," the pupil said.
Dobsonville police arrested him at his home yesterday.
One of his classmates said: "He is a very smart boy. He's also very quiet and I have never seen him fight anyone."
Addressing pupils, the ANC Women's League's Buyi Majola said: "You have rights but your rights also come with responsibilities. You can be poor but that does not justify harming people. Education is nothing if you do not respect people."
Gauteng Education department's Charles Phahlane said the pupil was suspended with immediate effect.
Warrant Officer Kay Makhubela said: "The boy will be charged with assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm."
Sadtu regional secretary Ronald Nyathi said: "We blame the department and Cosas. We have reported 17 cases of violence against teachers to the department and they have done nothing.
"Cosas is encouraging learners to beat teachers."
MtshepaRepa
What the hell is Buyi Majola saying....that statement has got Jack to do with what happened....Report Abuse
wyfie
ruthless pig where are ur manners? how do u stab ur elder and ask 4 4gvnes......stupidity @ its best...go 2 jail u ar nt a student but a thug...Report Abuse
Memme
"Cosas is encouraging learners to beat teachers."Is this for REAL ?
Report Abuse
ibeliv
o godisitse ke mang mara wena yee?o hloka molao bastard sies man.ga ke nyake le go bona mokhukhunyana o o goletseng mo go onaReport Abuse
Mosquer
MorningBa tlwaetse go lepeletšwa kua ga gabo bona. At school you must be ngwana sekolo e sego monna wa sekolo. Learn to respect coz that's what we call education.
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wyfie
O nale sebete le waste of money ya go reka thipa i mean he did dat with intentions stabbing motho mo maleng....mhhhhhReport Abuse
Naaishark
What is new , the people obey Cosas told them to beat the teachers and they did , Malema told them the people to kill the boer and they didReport Abuse
mbondozi
I thought punishment had been banned long time ago in school, so now what is happening. Listen to the students , they say if your class teacher does n't want to punish you herself , the class teacher will send you to this bully Thembi Sithole to beat you up. She deserved it , why is she always be the one who beat up children? She learned her lesson now never to be used again. This Thembi is abusing children in that school , she needs to be investigated too and her puben dragged to court too.Report Abuse
monatefela
was there any other way of punishing the child other than slapping ,nna you slap my child o tlo nya cos i dont punish my child ka mpamaReport Abuse