Two Soweto TV staff members, cameraman Justice Dlamini (28) and reporter Ziniko Mhlaba (26), were allegedly attacked by teachers at Daliwonga Secondary School in Soweto.
The team was working on a story about late comers and they discovered that the teachers were punishing the students for late coming.
“They didn’t anticipate the assault that they saw on the kids. The teachers were assaulting the children, you couldn’t call it punishment. It was really horrible and the guys [Journalists] filmed that. And in the middle of that the teachers that were there witnessed the filming and started assaulting our guys [journalists]. They confiscated our cameras, broke one of them.” said Wandi Nzimande Soweto TV station Manager.
One of the journalist’s cellphone and a tablet are also missing. The camera plus the cellphone and tablet are estimated to be worth R35 000.
Fortunately none of the journalist suffered any injuries.
The Orlando East police department detained one of the teachers, who is currently out on bail, on charges of robbery and malicious damage to property.
The school has denied taking any equipment from the Soweto TV team.
The Department of Basic Education’s spokesperson Phumla Sekhonyane on eNCA stated that a teacher who is found guilty of corporal punishment or an act of violence on school premises can be fired.
“It can range from being suspended, to their salary being docked or in certain circumstances they can be expelled from the workforce.”
When asked if she was concerned about the caliber of teachers the department was hiring she replied yes.
“Certainly, we expect all our employees to act in an ethical and professional manner. We take these allegations very seriously and we will co-operate with the police investigation but we will also initiate our own processes as the department.”
Soweto TV journalists 'attacked' by teachers, equipment missing
Two Soweto TV staff members, cameraman Justice Dlamini (28) and reporter Ziniko Mhlaba (26), were allegedly attacked by teachers at Daliwonga Secondary School in Soweto.
The team was working on a story about late comers and they discovered that the teachers were punishing the students for late coming.
“They didn’t anticipate the assault that they saw on the kids. The teachers were assaulting the children, you couldn’t call it punishment. It was really horrible and the guys [Journalists] filmed that. And in the middle of that the teachers that were there witnessed the filming and started assaulting our guys [journalists]. They confiscated our cameras, broke one of them.” said Wandi Nzimande Soweto TV station Manager.
One of the journalist’s cellphone and a tablet are also missing. The camera plus the cellphone and tablet are estimated to be worth R35 000.
Fortunately none of the journalist suffered any injuries.
The Orlando East police department detained one of the teachers, who is currently out on bail, on charges of robbery and malicious damage to property.
The school has denied taking any equipment from the Soweto TV team.
The Department of Basic Education’s spokesperson Phumla Sekhonyane on eNCA stated that a teacher who is found guilty of corporal punishment or an act of violence on school premises can be fired.
“It can range from being suspended, to their salary being docked or in certain circumstances they can be expelled from the workforce.”
When asked if she was concerned about the caliber of teachers the department was hiring she replied yes.
“Certainly, we expect all our employees to act in an ethical and professional manner. We take these allegations very seriously and we will co-operate with the police investigation but we will also initiate our own processes as the department.”
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