A 17-year-old black pupil at Carletonville Hoërskool‚ in the West Rand‚ refuses to go back to school after a white boy head-butted her in class.
The grade 12 learner‚ Esethu Ngcwama‚ claims she was assaulted after she asked him and his friends to not spray deodorant in class because of her sinuses condition.
She said he head-butted her and when she slapped him‚ he threw her over a chair‚ which resulted in her dislocating her shoulder and fracturing a rib.
Both were taken to the office of the disciplinary teacher‚ a Mr de Koker.
Esethu said her request that her mother be called was refused.
She alleged that De Koker did not properly investigate the fight but he did tell them to never speak of it.
She added that when she returned to class‚ her geography teacher suggested that she deserved to be assaulted.
She also claimed that some teachers have been threatening pupils with suspension if they speak about the assault‚ which took place last week.
She has now opened a case of assault with intention to cause grievous bodily harm.
“I know the other learners will be happy to see me but the school is not run by the learners. I am scared that I won’t be comfortable anymore with the teachers. I feel bad‚ I feel like my health and safety does not matter anymore‚” Esethu told TimesLIVE.
Effort has been made to contact the accused.
Alumni have taken to social media to speak about their experiences at the school‚ many of which were racist.
Former scholar Maphoka Lepota claimed that black and white pupils are separated in classes and even during assembly.
“One day I intentionally sat in the white people section and Mrs Cornelius came flaming to tell me to move. I asked her why and she said‚ ‘because we sit here’ I said who’s we? To this day I’m still waiting for her response. (Of course I didnt move I wasnt about to be apologetic about my race) There are more instances where we experienced racism not only from students but from teachers‚” she wrote.
Another former pupil‚ Tshegofatso Moitsheki‚ wrote: “I repeat‚ I was also bullied in grade 8-9 when I notified Mr Bunny he told me to suck it all up‚ everyone that’s been at that school will say how de koker treats black students. matter was resolved when my Mother faced the two Afrikaans boys after school.”
The Gauteng Department of Education said the allegation of assault at Carletonville Hoërskool was being investigated to establish the facts.
“We condemn‚ in the strongest terms‚ any incidents of racial attack and assault in our schools and will not hesitate to take action against perpetrators who are found guilty of this misconduct‚” said says education MEC Panyaza Lesufi.
“We urge principals and educators to respond appropriately when cases of bullying‚ violence and intimidation are reported. Ignoring these reports makes the victim feel more vulnerable and subjected to secondary trauma of adults that show a cavalier attitude.” — TimesLIVE
Carletonville Hoërskool girl claims racial assault in class
The grade 12 learner‚ Esethu Ngcwama‚ claims she was assaulted after she asked him and his friends to not spray deodorant in class because of her sinuses condition.
She said he head-butted her and when she slapped him‚ he threw her over a chair‚ which resulted in her dislocating her shoulder and fracturing a rib.
Both were taken to the office of the disciplinary teacher‚ a Mr de Koker.
Esethu said her request that her mother be called was refused.
She alleged that De Koker did not properly investigate the fight but he did tell them to never speak of it.
She added that when she returned to class‚ her geography teacher suggested that she deserved to be assaulted.
She also claimed that some teachers have been threatening pupils with suspension if they speak about the assault‚ which took place last week.
She has now opened a case of assault with intention to cause grievous bodily harm.
“I know the other learners will be happy to see me but the school is not run by the learners. I am scared that I won’t be comfortable anymore with the teachers. I feel bad‚ I feel like my health and safety does not matter anymore‚” Esethu told TimesLIVE.
Effort has been made to contact the accused.
Alumni have taken to social media to speak about their experiences at the school‚ many of which were racist.
Former scholar Maphoka Lepota claimed that black and white pupils are separated in classes and even during assembly.
“One day I intentionally sat in the white people section and Mrs Cornelius came flaming to tell me to move. I asked her why and she said‚ ‘because we sit here’ I said who’s we? To this day I’m still waiting for her response. (Of course I didnt move I wasnt about to be apologetic about my race) There are more instances where we experienced racism not only from students but from teachers‚” she wrote.
Another former pupil‚ Tshegofatso Moitsheki‚ wrote: “I repeat‚ I was also bullied in grade 8-9 when I notified Mr Bunny he told me to suck it all up‚ everyone that’s been at that school will say how de koker treats black students. matter was resolved when my Mother faced the two Afrikaans boys after school.”
The Gauteng Department of Education said the allegation of assault at Carletonville Hoërskool was being investigated to establish the facts.
“We condemn‚ in the strongest terms‚ any incidents of racial attack and assault in our schools and will not hesitate to take action against perpetrators who are found guilty of this misconduct‚” said says education MEC Panyaza Lesufi.
“We urge principals and educators to respond appropriately when cases of bullying‚ violence and intimidation are reported. Ignoring these reports makes the victim feel more vulnerable and subjected to secondary trauma of adults that show a cavalier attitude.” — TimesLIVE
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