The Mpumalanga Department of Education welcomes the decision to suspend the 19-year old grade 11 learner by the School Governing Body of Hoérskool Oosterland in Secunda after he was found guilty of transgressing the school code of conduct.
A video of a learner attacking a bus driver while the vehicle is in motion went viral on social media.
In the clip posted by education department spokesperson, Elijah Mhlanga, the learner verbally abuses the driver before grabbing and punching him in the head. Other learners in the bus are heard screaming, asking the driver to stop the bus.
READ: Student arrested for inciting violence at TVET college
This outcome follows a disciplinary hearing that was conducted on Tuesday, 18 September 2018 by the School Governing Body where a decision to suspend the learner for seven days was taken while the school is processing its recommendations to the Head of Department for consideration.
The South African Schools Act (Section 9(1) states that:
Subject to this Act and any applicable law, the governing body of a public school may, after a fair hearing suspend a learner from attending the school-
(a) as a correctional measure for a period not longer than a week, or
(b) In consultation with the Head of Department pending a decision as to whether the learner is to be expelled from the school by the Head of Department.
The recommendations of the School Governing Body are processed through the Departmental line function (i.e. from the school to the circuit office, district office and to the Head of Department).
The Department is monitoring this process very closely.
