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Photo for illustration purposes only - this is not any of the children referred to in the story

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The six pupils — aged between six and eight — are said to have repeatedly kicked and punched the boy in full view of their classmates.

The boy, who attends Qedizaba Primary School, in Newcastle, northern KwaZulu-Natal, was on Friday asked to report noisemakers when the teacher left the classroom.

He did as he had been asked until the teacher returned.

The teacher reprimanded the culprits, who turned on the boy.

“They punched and kicked him on the lower part of the abdomen,’ his grandmother said yesterday.

"The first doctor who examined him on Friday said his liver might have been injured.

 “Another doctor, who checked him on Monday, said his kidneys might have been damaged,” said the woman, who cannot be identified to protect the identity of the victim.

“I’m in so much pain. I cry day and night after what happened to him. My grandson might never be able to walk properly again because of the assault,” she said.

The school’s principal, who refused to be named, said: "I’m still attending to the incident and trying to get all the information so I can give a report to the department".

The provincial department of education did not respond to questions about the alleged assault yesterday.

WHY ARE CHILDREN SO VIOLENT?

Lezanne Leoschut, research director at the Centre for Justice and Crime Prevention, said a study by the centre had found that much of the violence experienced by youngsters was perpetrated by classmates or schoolmates.

“Researchers, policy-makers and practitioners alike are increasingly acknowledging that youth violence is of grave concern,” said Leoschut.

In 2010, the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation researched why South Africans are prone to violence.

It found that children who “become persistent offenders” were often affected by adverse family and school experiences.

“The childhood experiences of many children and young people in South Africa involve multiple levels of adversity, including poverty, unstable living arrangements, absent, indifferent or violent fathers, and alcohol- or other substance- abusive parents or relatives.”

WHAT LIES AHEAD FOR THIS LITTLE BOY?

The Newcastle grandmother said that her grandson had been assaulted previously. After one assault he refused to go to school.

“But I forced him, saying I could not let him stay away because it’s his future. But now that future I was telling him about could well have been permanently destroyed. It’s very painful and I’m frustrated,” she said.

The boy was admitted to Madadeni Hospital on Friday.

Though hospital officials would not comment on his injuries, his grandmother said the boy was severely beaten and she had been told that he might have spinal injuries.

“Today they are taking him for an ultra-sound scan to check how badly he was beaten. I pray that his spine is fine and that he is able to walk properly again,” she said yesterday.

Despite being advised to report the attack to the police, the grandmother did not do so.

She said teachers had persuaded her to try to resolve things “amicably” with the parents of the attackers.

But she believes that the assailants should be punished.

• The Centre for Justice and Crime Prevention is to host an International Youth Violence Prevention Conference in Dar-es- Salaam, Tanzania, in November.Leoschut said that as well as identifying child violence prevention strategies, the conference would be a forum for the sharing of research among regional and international researchers and policy-makers.

Comments

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Thu Jun 20 01:41:55 SAST 2013 ::

Sep 5, 2012

Bumbu

zuulus are violent and babaric period.
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Sep 5, 2012

Mrazane

Where were the teachers when this child was beaten?

Our children are exposed to so much violence, and although many deny it children who are under 10 are heavily influenced by the wrestling they watch on TV they see people beating each other and others cheering them on, and there are no injuries or blood seen, because they don't know that it is well choreographed, and when they do it, its the real thing.

Parents monitor what your children watch on TV cos one day your own children will kill each other unintentionally because you are not taking responsibility for teaching them and protecting them against bad influences.
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Sep 5, 2012

Mosquer

Bana ba ba belegwe ba kwatile.
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Sep 5, 2012

MommaC

Bumbu

*sigh* Must you start airing your ignorance so early in the morning?
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Sep 5, 2012

Chichi7

People are too linient of this little fockers. You deal with them once for all before they become a menace to society. Violence at such an early age can only lead to more serious crimes later in life.
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Sep 5, 2012

beautiful4

i think we are rising a future monsters in our country, how can a six yr old child be so emotionally bitter? hai! this is so scary!
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Sep 5, 2012

Pitso.MCCMA.SAFA

Kids of Zuma
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Sep 5, 2012

MommaC

Why are the teachers trying to cover this up? Do they condone the behaviour or are they just scared that their negligence will be shown up?

This is just shocking. The parents of these bullies need to be held accountable and the Granny needs to go and open a case with the police.
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Sep 5, 2012

Majooooro!!

Answering a question of "why a schoolkids are so violent" this days they no longer pray during assebly like before! the department of education has chased God out of school obviously who remain,of course the devil!! this is fact!

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Sep 5, 2012

golly459

Eixxx, born with anger, violent and frustration y???

Parents must stop fighting in front of kids, cause kids grow up knowing is the right thing to do.

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