SOWETAN NEWS

Pupil(8) dies after hose-pipe assault

By Lindile Sifile | Feb 20, 2016 |

A Free State teacher severely assaulted an eight-year-old pupil 

with a hose-pipe for failing to do her homework.

The child has since died and the teacher offered the girl's mother R100 for her medical bills.

Now a case of common assault has been opened against the Grade 3 teacher at Reatile Primary School in Petsana township near Reitz, Free State, with the possibility of a murder charge, after Nthabiseng Mtambo died at a hospital in Bethlehem last Sunday.

Reitz police confirmed yesterday that the teacher has been charged with assaulting the eight-year-old girl on January 26 after she allegedly failed to complete her homework. The provincial education department has begun internal disciplinary processes against the teacher, who is still teaching.

Spokesman Howard Ndaba said: "We are taking it seriously because it is illegal for an educator to hit a child. We could not just suspend the teacher as we need to investigate the allegations against her first."

Puleng Makgalemele said her daughter came back from school on January 26 complaining of a severe headache.

"She told me that her teacher had continuously beaten her on the head with a hose-pipe which the teacher calls Samuel. Every child at the school knows about Samuel," said Makgalemele.

She gave her daughter painkillers but when she noticed that they were not easing her pain she took her to Reitz Hospital. Doctors administered more painkillers but her condition deteriorated.

The next day Makgalemele went to report the matter to the principal who promised to handle it internally.

"While I was at school, the teacher offered me R100 for my daughter's medical bill and promised to give me more money a few days later. She did not deny hitting my child. I took the money because I felt the teacher was responsible for my child's sickness," said Makgalemele.

Nthabiseng's health got worse on February 1 and she was taken to a hospital in Bethlehem.

"She was no longer talking nor making any movement. The nurses told me that she had 'tuberculosis of the head'.

"I don't believe that because my child had never been sick before. She was my only child," Makgalemele said.

Makgalemele said her daughter had previously complained about her teacher's beatings but she never took these complaints seriously.

The mother said she wanted the educator to pay for the death of her daughter.

"She knows she is responsible for the death of my daughter. I'm appauled that she has not been suspended by the department or even arrested," said the mother.

"I want justice for my daughter. My child has never been sick and I wont accept that she could have died of some ilness."

Lieutenant Zweli Mohobeleli said initially a case of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm was opened but this was then changed to common assault.

"This after the detectives learnt from the medical practitioner that the child's admission in hospital was as a result of an illness not confirmed as related to the alleged assault," said Mohobeleli.

He added that the teacher was warned and a statement was obtained from her.

"With the passing of the child we now have to rely on the post-mortem results to guide our investigation. The charge as well as further police action will be subject to this report," he said.

SOURCE: Sowetan