Mpumalanga learner loses his eye over milk dispute

Speaking from his hospital bed, Benedict Ngomane told Mpumalanga News that the argument started while learners were served milk during the school’s nutrition programme in his class on Wednesday.

“The prefect told us to share milk in groups of four and I complained saying the milk was too little to be shared by four people, it should be shared by two people at least,” said Ngomane.

He alleged the prefect threatened to bite him, to which he responded by saying that won’t happen.

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He was later stabbed by the prefect near the school gate while he was going to a nearby shop.

“I met him by the gate where he asked me as to what I was saying in the class, he immediately stabbed me with broken bottles four times injuring my eyes,” he said.

Ngomane was assisted by one of his classmates who asked a lift from a community member to rush him to Tintswalo Hospital, where he was transferred to Rob Ferreira Hospital.

MEC of education, Bonakele Majuba, officials from the department together with Ngomane’s family visited Ngomane in hospital on Friday morning to offer him moral support.

It was heard that Ngomane has lost the sight in one of his eyes.

He was discharged on Friday morning and taken back to Matikwana Hospital.

Majuba spoke harshly against violence in schools, saying the rate of violence making its way into schools is “cause for concern”.

“The department will continue to investigate the circumstances that lead to this incident and further establish the extent to which it can support the families of the affected learners. We will send a team of psychologists and social workers to go and assist the counselling of learners who were traumatised by this incident,” he said.

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