Security-guard-manhandling-pupil-EFF-regalia. Picture Screen grab
It’s not what it looks like. The department of education in Gauteng has explained the circumstances surrounding the video of a school pupil wearing EFF regalia who was manhandled by a security guard on Friday last week. The incident took place at the Hoërskool Uitsig in Centurion.
A grade 12 learner wore EFF regalia in line with his future/career aspirations during the school’s career day as learners had been instructed.
In the video, a security guard can be seen manhandling the learner outside the school’s premises while his friends taking the video shouting “racist” at the guard.
Department of education spokesperson Steve Mabona said they were aware of the video making rounds on social media.
Mabona said that the learner in question had a history of defiance and disregard for the school’s disciplinary system and code of conduct.
“According to the information at our disposal, he has more than 800 demerit points and awaits a formal school governing body (SGB) disciplinary hearing,” said Mabona.
This video is no longer available.
He said that the parent of the learner was invited numerous times to disciplinary meetings, but has never attended.
“On the day of the video incident, the school was launching its academic week, when learners were to wear clothing resembling their desired careers,” Mabona said.
“The event took place at a time when the learner was suspended for seven days. Disregarding his temporary suspension, the learner unlawfully entered the school premises, breaching the conditions of his suspension. This, therefore, prompted the security personnel to remove the learner from the schoolyard in line with the school’s code of conduct.”
The department said that there had been a number of protest action threats to boycott Hoërskool Uitsig after the incident on Friday.
It said district officials had since Friday been working closely with law enforcement agencies to monitor the situation at the school.
“We stress that community stakeholders have a role to play in the education of our children in Gauteng,” said Mabona.
ALSO READ: Seven deep cleaning company accounts frozen in Gauteng
“However, top of our minds during this pandemic which has already taken so much teaching and learning time, should be ensuring the little time learners have left is used as productively as possible.”
“It is in this light that we condemn the disruption of schooling at the school and call on any stakeholder with a gripe to use the relevant available channels to raise their issues,” Mabona said.
He said that the school had scheduled a disciplinary meeting for Wednesday and the parent had agreed.
Download our app and read this and other great stories on the move. Available for Android and iOS.
