The teenager also states that he was so traumatised during the incident that he had peed on himself.
His grandfather, who cannot be named to protect the identity of his grandchild, said the boy arrived home crying hysterically, saying he had been assaulted by a teacher and that it also happened in front of the principal.
"We had never seen him crying like that, we also got a fright. I went to the school where I spoke to the principal about this. The teacher did not deny hitting the child, but also did not apologise," said the grandfather.
"We were promised an investigation by the principal. The kind of abuse my grandson went through has traumatised him because since the incident, the child is no longer the same. It has affected him mentally."
The boy's grandparent told Sowetan that for months the boy had to face the teacher in class despite the matter having been reported to the principal.
"It was shocking that we never got updates and the child didn't want to go to school because the teacher was still there. To date, we've not received an update on any efforts made by the school, I even wrote them a letter detailing my dissatisfaction."
The child's uncle said the slaps his nephew got from the teacher further exacerbated his ear condition which he developed from a minibus crash some years back.
"As a result of the trauma, he has developed a speech problem and has been withdrawn from friends and family. He is hard of hearing because the teacher must have slapped him hard on the ear.
"We are not happy with how the school dealt with this. My parents are old and they cannot keep running up and down after the school for answers, so as a family we opted to open a criminal case against the teacher," the boy's uncle said.
Hoopstad police spokesperson Capt Stephens Thakeng confirmed that they were investigating a case of common assault. He said the police were informed that the principal apologised and the matter was resolved [at school].
"A case was registered on March 5 2024 and the investigation continues. Nobody has been arrested for now," he said.
Free State department of education spokesperson Howard Ndaba said the teacher denied having assaulted the pupil.
On the day of the incident, he said, the said teacher took the two pupils to the staff room and instructed them to bring their parents to the school.
"The grandfather attended the meeting and confirmed that his grandchild was a naughty child and in a circle of bad friends.
"The issue of assault was not part of the meeting as claimed by the uncle who does not live with the child," Ndaba said. "Mr M [teacher] denied the allegation that the child was assaulted."
Ndaba said the teacher was no longer employed at the school. However, he did not say when the teacher left the school.
Grandparent opens assault case against teacher
Grandson still 'suffering from trauma' a year on
Image: 123F
The grandfather of a 16-year-old Free State pupil who was assaulted, allegedly by a teacher at school, says his grandchild was suffering from severe trauma nearly a year after the incident.
The teacher allegedly slapped the teenager and his friend last July at Tikwana Comprehensive School when he found them playing with baby powder during a free period.
Nearly a year later, the teenager is said to be struggling to speak and suffering from anxiety.
In a statement the pupil made to the police after the incident, he alleged that the friend had poured baby powder on him. The teenager then chased the friend, and that was when he heard the teacher ordering other pupils to apprehend and bring them to him.
"On our arrival to him (sic) he started to slap us with an open hand. Then I started to feel dizzy. He then said we must go to the staff room where he slapped us again on our faces and also slapped me on the ear with an open hand," the statement reads.
"I was hurt, I cried. Then I ran home to report the matter to my grandparents."
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The teenager also states that he was so traumatised during the incident that he had peed on himself.
His grandfather, who cannot be named to protect the identity of his grandchild, said the boy arrived home crying hysterically, saying he had been assaulted by a teacher and that it also happened in front of the principal.
"We had never seen him crying like that, we also got a fright. I went to the school where I spoke to the principal about this. The teacher did not deny hitting the child, but also did not apologise," said the grandfather.
"We were promised an investigation by the principal. The kind of abuse my grandson went through has traumatised him because since the incident, the child is no longer the same. It has affected him mentally."
The boy's grandparent told Sowetan that for months the boy had to face the teacher in class despite the matter having been reported to the principal.
"It was shocking that we never got updates and the child didn't want to go to school because the teacher was still there. To date, we've not received an update on any efforts made by the school, I even wrote them a letter detailing my dissatisfaction."
The child's uncle said the slaps his nephew got from the teacher further exacerbated his ear condition which he developed from a minibus crash some years back.
"As a result of the trauma, he has developed a speech problem and has been withdrawn from friends and family. He is hard of hearing because the teacher must have slapped him hard on the ear.
"We are not happy with how the school dealt with this. My parents are old and they cannot keep running up and down after the school for answers, so as a family we opted to open a criminal case against the teacher," the boy's uncle said.
Hoopstad police spokesperson Capt Stephens Thakeng confirmed that they were investigating a case of common assault. He said the police were informed that the principal apologised and the matter was resolved [at school].
"A case was registered on March 5 2024 and the investigation continues. Nobody has been arrested for now," he said.
Free State department of education spokesperson Howard Ndaba said the teacher denied having assaulted the pupil.
On the day of the incident, he said, the said teacher took the two pupils to the staff room and instructed them to bring their parents to the school.
"The grandfather attended the meeting and confirmed that his grandchild was a naughty child and in a circle of bad friends.
"The issue of assault was not part of the meeting as claimed by the uncle who does not live with the child," Ndaba said. "Mr M [teacher] denied the allegation that the child was assaulted."
Ndaba said the teacher was no longer employed at the school. However, he did not say when the teacher left the school.
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"We do not know where he is. Maybe the police will know now that there is a case opened," he said, adding that the principal had denied being present during the alleged assault.
According to Ndaba, the department was not investigating the matter any further as no evidence was found that the pupil was assaulted. However, Ndaba did not respond when asked whether the department had interviewed other pupils who may have witnessed the incident.
Spokesperson for the National Association of School Governing Bodies, Matakanye Matakanya, said if the department of education fails to investigate and take action, the family would have no choice but to escalate the matter to the SA Council for Educators.
"They can even take the matter to the Human Rights Commission because the teacher's alleged actions impede on his victim's right to education. Corporal punishment was outlawed in this country, this means that teachers who practise it are acting against the law," he said.
"There are ways in which teachers are trained to deal with misbehaviour in class without hitting them. Opening a criminal case is one aspect, but the department and other bodies also have a role to play."
sibiyan@sowetan.co.za
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