Steel pipe-wielding teacher released on bail

time2018/07/19

Steel pipe-wielding teacher released on bail


Johannesburg - A Krugersdorp teacher who allegedly broke a 12-year-old pupil's hand with a steel pipe was released on bail on Friday, police said.

"The suspect appeared in the Krugersdorp Magistrate's Court today [Friday] where he was released on bail. The case was postponed to the 23rd of July," spokesperson Appel Ernst said.

She could not immediately confirm the amount the bail was set at.

The Gauteng Department of Education said on Thursday that it viewed the incident in a "serious light".

"We strongly condemn corporal punishment as it is outlawed by the Constitution of the country and the South African Schools’ Act," spokesperson Phumla Sekhonyane said.

"Corporal punishment has no place in our schooling system. The alleged behaviour of the educator, if proven true, is completely unacceptable."

The Krugersdorp News website earlier reported that the pupil's mother came home on May 7 and found her daughter in pain. She reportedly had severe swelling in her left hand.

The site reported that the girl, with other pupils, was allegedly punished by a teacher with a steel pipe because she did not answer a maths question correctly.

Sekhonyane said the department sent officials to the school to establish the facts and the principal of the school would also provide a report.

"Counselling will be offered to the affected learner."