Brixton Police confirmed that a fourteen year old student from Jim Fouché Primary in Crosby has been charged with assault after allegedly punching a teacher in the face on 1 October.
Head of the school’s department of educational training, Zascia Hakkesteeg, ordered the pupil to remove a piece of clothing that was not a part of the school uniform. The student then hit the female teacher in her face.
Last month, a recording of a Grade 8 student in southern Johannesburg assaulting his teacher went viral online and propelled the issue of student-on-teacher violence to the forefront. Carel Cronjé, chairman of the South African Teachers Union (SAOU) in Gauteng, is resolute that the Union will not accept such behaviour.
“What we are seeing in this latest incident at Jim Fouché is symptomatic of the growing violence against women and children that appears to be getting steadily worse in our South African society,” she said.
We cannot and will not allow our members to be the victims of this kind of despicable behaviour, especially where it is directed against women.”
Gauteng Department of Education’s spokesperson, Gershwin Chuenyane explained what measures will be taken to rectify the situation.
“The department condemns this incident in the strongest terms and discourages the use of violence in schools,” he said.
“The learner is suspended for 7 days pending the formal disciplinary hearing and the teacher will remain at the school. We will provide counselling to her.”
Representatives from the school declined to comment when contacted by the Northcliff Melville Times, while some Brixton residents worry about the continued decay of the neighbourhood.
“I find it very concerning that we are seeing this type of violence in the school setup,” says Brixton Residents Association member Rene van Niekerk, “it all goes back to a deeper problem of lack of law enforcement in our community. This is what the young ones growing in our area see every day and we can’t expect that it won’t have an effect on them.”
“The surrounding area will have an effect on the developing mind and so we must set a better example for these children.”
