Cape Town - Two Bloekombos Secondary School teachers are facing criminal charges after allegedly inflicting corporal punishment on a group of learners for buying and drinking alcohol on a school trip.
In the incident, which took place at the school earlier this year, the duo reportedly called out a group of about 12 learners who had allegedly drunk alcohol to celebrate winning a choir competition in May.
A source close to the investigation told the Cape Argus that a guardian of one of the learners had lodged a formal complaint with the school and the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) after learning of the punishment meted out to her ward.
He said: “This is not the first time educators at Bloekombos High School have been accused of crossing the boundaries and doing something like this. While they have seemingly been able to get away (with it) without consequence, I’m glad that this time it went as far as the police.
“Educators such as these bring the school’s reputation into disrepute. While the learners themselves are said to have done something wrong, this was not the way to handle it.
“One of the accused has been at the centre of multiple investigations, and it doesn’t make sense that he was never suspended or sanctioned for his actions.
“I’m glad police were notified of the abuse these learners suffered because the WCED is not doing much to bring order to that school,” he said.
However, the WCED said it had launched an investigation after receiving a report that learners were assaulted for drinking alcohol to celebrate winning a competition.
WCED spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said: “The hearing was conducted last month, and the educators were charged with misconduct based on the evidence put forward by the complainant.
“However, no learners came forward to testify in the hearing.”
Hammond also revealed that during the 2021/22 financial year, 84 WCED employees were formally charged for assaulting learners.
She said these two educators were part of the shocking figure and that the department had sanctioned them. Hammond also said the department was aware that the duo were arrested on August 22 and appeared in court on Tuesday.
Police confirmed the suspects, aged 33 and 43, were arrested and according to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), appeared at the Kuils River Magistrates’ Court where they were charged with common assault.
NPA spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said in view of the nature of the case, and the number of witnesses involved, the State had moved to postpone the appearance of the accused to allow for further investigation.