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A PARENT'S NIGHTMARE: Sheila Hlongwane and her husband Sam Mabuza hold a picture of Sheila's son David Hlongwane who committed suicide after being bullied by pupils at Lethabong High School in Soshanguve, Pretoria. Photo: PEGGY NKOMO

Lethabong Secondary School in Soshanguve has been in the news for all wrong reasons since the beginning of the year.

First, a Grade 10 pupil is said to have committed suicide on Valentine's Day after being bullied by three Grade 10s and a Grade 11 at the school.

The four, including a pupil who is accused of having assaulted a female teacher last year, were suspended pending the outcome of investigations by the provincial education department.

Last month, another pupil - who is a close friend of the four pupils who have been suspended - is said to have assaulted a girl at the school using an iron rod.

He is facing a criminal charge and will appear at Soshanguve Magistrate Court tomorrow.

Last Wednesday, the school governing body recommended to the head of department that the pupils be expelled.

Gauteng education department spokesman Charles Phahlane said: "The head of department upheld the decision by the school governing body to expel the five pupils at Lethabong. Expulsion letters have been written to the parents."

Phahlane said the first four were charged with misconduct "in relation to bullying and harassing other pupils. The fifth is charged with assaulting a pupil".

Phahlane said the expelled pupils have the right to appeal to the MEC.

The five are said to have harassed pupils at the school for some time. Last year during the year-end examination, one of the pupils allegedly teased and assaulted a female teacher who reprimanded him for making a noise in the examination hall.

Parents welcomed the decision saying victims of bullying at the school had been living in fear.

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Tue Jun 18 23:18:29 SAST 2013 ::

Aug 13, 2012

MommaC

1. IF these kids are expelled, the DoE has to find another school for them (under current legislation) which means they are simply putting the problem somewhere else

2. Why did it take this long (and a death) for something to be done about it. Expelling them isn't going to make the principal do a better job

3. As these boys are know to have issues, expelling them is hardly going to make them suddenly become perfect citizens so all they are doing is delaying the trip to Sun City.

There are far too many young men out there who are living feral lives. What we desperately need is some form of system to put them on the straight and narrow BEFORE they end up as a threat to society. This kind of antisocial behaviour should have been recognised and addressed when they were still in junior school.
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Aug 13, 2012

lindsay

that is a good move now they should face civil litigation i mean their parents for factual causing the death of another kid
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Aug 13, 2012

Chichi7

A month ago, I lost my marbles when this kid just beat my child in the school bus. She pushed her around, slapped her so hard that her face was swollen. I did a Madea stunt and beat the crap out of the child and told her to give her parents my phone numbers.
No phone call came and that only means that she did not tell her parents. She has however learned to stay the hell away from my child.

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Aug 13, 2012

SEMO

But why such harsh decisions,these are just kids who were wrongly raised by their parents,they should be ones taking a stand(Kgomo ka mo gobe e wetswa ke namane),has anyone ever stop to think about the future of these kids and what might become.@MommaC,I definately agree with your first statement.Otherwise all these might be a lisence for them become worse than what they are now.
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Aug 13, 2012

KarlZimbiri

@Chichi7, U did well by disciplining the buliies. Bullies need to be put into their place. A bigger problem is the parents, they are way too comfortable with their children abusing others and on’t reprimand them.
I am in bad terms with my neighbours coz their children were bullying my child. When I intervened the father said children are children why do I interfere in children’s affairs. He said in life children have always bullied each other and is not going stop coz of me. I told him, as a mother, I am not watch while my child suffers. Our fight is in court as we speak, coz of him defending his children’s bully tactics.

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Aug 13, 2012

ONEE

I hated Bullies with passion when I was still a student , and I still hate them.
I have always told my daughter if they bully you dont hesitate to let me know.

right move right there
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Aug 13, 2012

1andonlybucs

yes they must be shown the door, expel them for five years!!!
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Aug 13, 2012

Mosquer

Taba ye ya ripa mosela ke be ke nagana gore e fedile
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Aug 13, 2012

Chichi7

@ KarlZimbiri
i sure hope that the court case comes right for you as no parent must ever condone any bullying.
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Aug 13, 2012

Kaylae

So the bl@@dy parents recieved the expeltion letters of their bustard$,what are they saying about the matter.Parents are letting their bad behaviour stick into their kids,descipline them when they are still young cause tomorrow they'll be jailbirds cause you failed to show them the way or they'll be bullying you around in your own home
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