LEBOGANG SEALE
THE SOWETO family of a teenage boy who was allegedly slapped, punched and kicked by his school principal are living in fear.
This follows death threats they say they received on Monday.
They claim the threats came after they turned down persistent efforts to get them to withdraw charges against Moss Senye, principal of Meadowlands High School in Soweto, and co-accused Ofentse Phehle, a teacher at the school.
The pair, who have been suspended by the Gauteng Education Department, are due in the Protea Magistrate’s Court next week.
The pupil’s family said their situation was compounded by police at the local police station laughing off their attempts to obtain a protection order or open a case of intimidation.
“The police officer told us not to worry as the threats were not serious,” said the boy’s grandmother.
“He said people made the same threats during (hip-hop artist) Jub Jub (Maarohanye’s) case, but they didn’t kill anybody after he was given bail.”
The family may not be named to protect the 17-year-old.
The police officer, who identified himself as Jacky Mothogoane, repeated his comments on Maarohanye’s case when approached by The Star.
“When I calculated their words, it didn’t amount to threats. It was an exaggeration by the visitors and there is nothing to be afraid of,” he said.
The case against Senye and Phehle was recently transferred to the Protea Magistrate’s Court after “concerns over security between both parties”, according to prosecutor Xolani Dube.
The Star reported earlier this year that the teen’s family was offered R1 000 to withdraw charges by a delegation that visited them.
The delegation included members of the National Association of School Governing Bodies. The family turned down the offer.
But that doesn’t appear to have stopped Senye’s sympathisers – at least according to the boy’s family.
They said the death threats were made on Monday by three people who visited the family.
“They said they wanted us to talk about this issue of the child because it’s (known) all over the newspapers. They said it could lead to deaths if this issue was not resolved (amicably). They said I must drop the charges,” recalled the grandmother.
“I asked them who sent them and who will be killed? I also asked how they would feel if it was their child (who had been) assaulted? I also asked them what if we dropped the charges, and Moss blamed us and sued? They only spoke in parables,” she said.
After the alleged bribe, the family said they fitted their house with burglars bars.
“We are scared that something bad may happen to us. We need protection,” the grandmother said.
The teenager’s mother interjected: “My child is too afraid too. He can’t walk around freely. Whenever he visits us on weekends or holidays, he doesn’t sleep at home. I am panicking a lot.”
Gauteng police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Lungelo Dlamini said the family should approach the Meadowlands police station commander or the provincial police if they felt aggrieved.