Allegedly hit boy with a chalkboard duster for making a noise in the classroom

A primary school teacher has been arrested for allegedly assaulting a pupil in Skeerpoort, North West police said on Monday.

Tebogo Marothong, 48, is accused of beating 8-year-old Benjamin Nakedi, with a chalkboard duster for making a noise in the  classroom, Lt-Col Lesego Metsi said.

Metsi said appeared at the Brits Magistrate’s Court on Thursday and was released on a warning. The case was postponed to October 9 for further investigations.

The alleged assault happened on July 15 at an unnamed school in Skeerpoort.

“The boy suffered a swollen hand and he had to be admitted to hospital for treatment,” Metsi said.

Media reports suggested that the police dragged their feet and took two months to arrest the teacher. However, Metsi dismissed the reports and said the boy’s mother had asked the police to wait until she had buried one of her sons, who died shortly after the incident.