An investigation is under way after a teacher allegedly penalised several grade 1 pupils by confining them to a classroom for not having R2 on casual day.   

The incident happened last week at Abedare Primary in Delft where some learners were locked up as a form of punishment for not having money, while others were released to attend an activity in the school’s hall.

Spokesperson for the Western Cape education department (WCED) Bronangh Hammond described the allegation as concerning.

"The WCED received a tweet regarding the incident and a request for follow-up was made. The allegations are concerning. The alert happened over the weekend, therefore the WCED will investigate tomorrow [Monday]," Hammond told TimesLIVE. 

In a Twitter thread, one user who identified herself as Mandy detailed the incident. 

She said the teacher had locked the pupils who did not have the money in the classroom and released those who had paid to go watch something in the school hall.    

In a separate incident, which the department has since been made aware of, the teacher in question allegedly beat a 7-year-old and the pupil's hand had to be bandaged because of "how swollen it was".  

Parents are reportedly afraid of reporting the teacher because the teacher ignores the pupils afterwards, according to Mandy.

“My cousin and her friends have since imitated her actions by being incredibly aggressive, cursing and using the same language she does ever since they’ve started school.

"A kid in our street was crying the other day because she didn’t want to go to school," said Mandy.