Boy allegedly gang-raped at special school

The mother did not know that attending a parents meeting she was summoned to would emotionally drain her.

“I found other eight parents at the school’s hall and we were informed that we were called because eight boys had sexually assaulted one learner and they were referring to my child,” she said.

She lost her temper and asked many questions, wanting to know what happened and if he had been taken for medical attention.

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“I learned that the child was not taken to hospital and the parents together with an official from the Department of Education were called in to sweep the matter under the carpet within the boundaries of the school,” she said.

The mother stormed out of the meeting to look for her child and found him sitting alone in the playground while other children were playing.

“I was shocked to learn that it happened about two before I was called to the parent’s meeting,” she said.

The mother took her son to the hospital in the area and was told that the doctors could not help him unless she had opened a case with police and had the police J88 accident form.

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Upon being examined at HA Grové Hospital it was confirmed that the learner had been sexually assaulted.

“There are clinically definite signs of anal penetration (repeatedly). Kindly need assistance and cooperation of the police to attend to this matter,” reads a medical report from the hospital.

The trauma of the mother and her son was made worse last week Friday when she received a WhatsApp message calling her for a disciplinary hearing at the school on June 3.

“You are hereby given notice to attend a disciplinary hearing in terms of the School  Disciplinary Code and Procedures,” reads the introduction of the letter. A portion of the letter states “

The learner has been found to have transgressed category 4 sub 4 of the Code of Conduct of Learners”.

Leonard Hlathi, spokesperson for the police in Mpumalanga, confirmed that a case of sexual assault was opened at Belfast Police Station.

“The victim was taken for a medical examination. He will be assessed by the forensic social worker,” he said.

He added that the suspects, boys aged between 12 and 15, were currently waiting for the probation officers’ assessment as they are still minors.

“No arrests have been made. The probation officers will give recommendation based on their assessments’ results with regards to
suspects,” he said.

Jasper Zwane, spokesperson for the Department of Education said, “The department is very much disturbed about these allegations and views them very seriously. A social worker and psychologist have been deployed to grant the necessary support to the affected learners and to render counselling services.“

“The school is on an ongoing basis interacting with parents of affected learners. There was a meeting scheduled for Tuesday June 1 with one of the parents.

“The school will convene a disciplinary hearing on June 3. The department will monitor the situation very closely.”