The family of a deceased Tsakane learner, who was allegedly assaulted by a school teacher and a groundsman last week, is calling for justice, as Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi announced that an independent firm would be appointed to probe the death of the teenager.
Lesufi visited Tsakane Secondary School in Tsakane, Brakpan, on Monday to try to understand the circumstances surrounding the death of Nhlanhla Tshabalala, a Grade 10 learner, on Tuesday last week.
Lesufi further visited the Tshabalala family home to convey his condolences and apologies.
The 16-year-old was a learner at Reshogofaditswe Secondary School, however the incident allegedly occurred at Tsakane Secondary. The department confirmed that the police were investigating the matter.
Panyaza said that according to Tsakane Secondary School, Nhlanhla came to the school to retrieve his money and cellphone after a fight during the previous weekend in which someone from Tsakane Secondary School had taken his items. He added that teachers at Tsakane Secondary School had confirmed that he wasn’t a learner there by looking through his school bag.
“The other day, the said learner (Nhlanhla) came with what now we can confirm was a toy gun, with the intention of defending himself against the people who had taken his cellphone, and in the process there was a scuffle with a teacher and a general assistant who were trying to retrieve the gun,” the MEC said.
A video of the alleged assault has been making its rounds on social media since the incident.
The Tshabalala family, however, rejected the school’s report. Lesufi said that the family was of the view that during that scuffle, the teenager was seriously harmed and was attacked with a golf club, and that is where his injury came from.
“However, according to the school, after retrieving the gun they called the police and handed the learner over to the police in a good state. Because of his age, the police could not arrest him and take him home, but we need to get from the police the state in which they left him,” the MEC said.
His family later drove him to Pholosong Hospital where he was certified dead.
The deceased learner’s father, Oupa Tshabalala, said he knew that it was wrong that his son went to Tsakane Secondary School, despite not attending there, but said he went on Tuesday to retrieve his school bag and cellphone.
“They confirmed that they found the toy gun, but why was he handled with such force and beaten so much that he passed away? Why were they carrying golf clubs? Are they protecting children or criminals at the school?” the father asked.
Lesufi said that because of the “grey areas” regarding the circumstance surrounding Nhlanhla’s death, an independent firm would be appointed to investigate the matter.
“It’s very painful for us as a family that the questions we have are not being answered in the way we want. We have a problem where a principal does not want to tell the truth, and she is trying to protect her people,” Tshabalala said, and claimed that the principal had told him that his son was intoxicated.
The father further pleaded with Lesufi to help the family seek justice.
“Please help us MEC because my child was hit by a golf club. Where did it come from and why was it there?” Tshabalala said.
Meanwhile, learners from different Tsakane schools were out in the streets yesterday as part of a shutdown calling for justice for Nhlanhla. The Gauteng Department of Education condemned the disruptions to schooling, and Lesufi said he would return to the school on Wednesday to ensure that learning in the area resumed.
@Chulu_M