Photos: Kidney failure looming for assaulted boy, 17

A boy, 17, is currently in Life Flora Clinic in ICU, his kidneys being monitored after a traumatic assault at West Ridge High School yesterday (Tuesday 10 November) in which 20 assailants were allegedly involved.

According to his older brother the assault happened around 9am after the pupil arrived at West Ridge High School (WRHS) to write his English examinations.

This is not the first time the school has been in the news about pupils turning on each other. In August this year, the whole matric class were suspended and send home following the pupil’s 40 day’s celebrations.

Read more: Chaos erupts as matrics are chased from school

“Two VW Golfs pulled up from which his assailants, some between Grade 9 and 11 and others already having left school, jumped out with shamboks and planks,” he said. His name is known to the Record but cannot be revealed to protect his brother.

“They surrounded him and proceeded to hit him, with many blows to his head, but before he lost consciousness a teacher eventually pulled him from the crowd.”

He is alleging that nobody at WRHS budged to call an ambulance and instead opted to phone the boy’s mother. He further alleged the school’s bouncers did not get involved or try and stop the assailants. His mother and his brother’s partner rushed the boy to Life Flora Clinic’s casualty department, where upon examination he was found to have sustained lacerations to the head, a concussion, injuries to the right elbow, a hairline fracture to the left elbow and tissue damage to the kidneys.

The boy is currently still in ICU where his kidneys are being monitored, Dippenaar said.

He further accused the Roodepoort Police of defeating the ends of justice, delaying his family’s ability to open a case after the alleged assault. Just after 11am his mother and partner visited the police station where they were told the boy needs to open the case himself. They explained he is a minor and in hospital and the officer allegedly told them he should come open the case when he is better, serving them with J88 forms to file an attempted murder case. At the hospital his doctors said they could not fill in forms without a case number and an investigating officer assigned to the boy’s case, and had to complete such forms within 24 hours.

After great difficulty and the boy’s brother’s own visit to the station, a case of attempted murder had been opened and he is awaiting a case number.

WRHS has declined to respond to allegations against them or comment on the assault. After a receptionist put the Record through to the principal, Sydney Mashite’s, office the line cut off. Upon phoning back, the receptionist said the principal asked her to inform the Record he is not allowed to speak to her.

Although the Record is directing further questions to the Department of Education, no response has been received from the department since the previous incident.

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