Boy 'crippled', allegedly after beating

A TEENAGE boy is lying helplessly in an Eastern Cape hospital, allegedly paralysed after being beaten at school by his teacher

Andisiwe Nabiso, 14, a grade 8 pupil, was admitted to the Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital's intensive care unit almost two weeks ago.

This was after he had been beaten by a teacher at the St Joseph's Secondary School in Norwood, Mthatha.

Both the teacher and principal have since been suspended.

According to Andisiwe's mother, Nokhuqala Sana, 51, the teacher hit the boy five times on his right hand with a pipe.

Sana said Andisiwe came home on April 13 and told her about the beating.

His arm later went lame and he was admitted to hospital, where he is now completely paralysed.

But hospital superintendent Mkhuseli Madiba, told Sowetan that "the beating and the child being paralysed are two different things".

"I would say it was a coincidence. Currently the child is paralysed - his whole body - but there is a slight improvement.

"But I don't mean that you will see him walking soon. Initial tests show that the possible cause was botulism," Madiba said.

Sana burst into tears while talking to Sowetan, saying she was unemployed and had to beg for money for transport to the hospital to visits her son twice a day.

"This is the only son I have" she said.

"We were happy before this happened. I'm hurt. I'm worried about my son. His condition is getting worse."

She said Andisiwe's classmates had told her that the teacher, who allegedly beat her son, often beat the pupils.