Latest news with #SoshanguveSouthSecondarySchool
The Citizen
21-05-2025
- The Citizen
Education dept condemns assault on Sosh learners as punishment for allegedly being late
Education dept condemns assault on Sosh learners as punishment for allegedly being late The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has strongly condemned an alarming incident at Soshanguve South Secondary School on May 19, when community members allegedly assaulted learners for arriving at school late. According to GDE spokesperson Steve Mabona, community members forcefully entered the school premises after overpowering scholar patrollers. Once inside, they allegedly began beating up learners in front of staff. The group is also said to have verbally abused the principal for trying to intervene. 'We strongly condemn this unacceptable act of violence and urge community members to refrain from taking the law into their own hands,' said Mabona. 'Physical violence or intimidation, especially against children and education officials, can never be justified, regardless of the frustration over issues like lateness.' The department confirmed that an assault case has been opened with police, and that psycho-social support services are being extended to affected learners and staff. 'While we acknowledge the frustrations that may arise from issues such as lateness, under no circumstances can physical violence or intimidation be justified, especially when directed at children and education officials,' said Mabona. Mabona said such actions not only traumatise learners and staff, but also undermine the safe and supportive learning environment 'we are committed to upholding in all our schools'. 'We appeal to all stakeholders to work collaboratively with the department and school leadership through proper channels to resolve concerns lawfully and constructively.' Bongani Ramontja, Chairperson of Soil of Africa, said this act is a stark reminder of the pervasive culture of violence in some Tshwane schools. 'As an organisation, we will not tolerate such atrocities. The principal's actions constitute an egregious abuse of power, and the community members involved have taken the law into their own hands. Section 10 of the South African Schools Act (Act 84 of 1996) explicitly prohibits corporal punishment. The Constitution of South Africa, Section 12(1)(c), guarantees the right to freedom from all forms of violence.' He demanded the immediate suspension of the principal pending investigation. 'We demand the arrest and prosecution of community members involved, suspension of teachers who failed to intervene, dismissal and revocation of the principal's qualifications if allegations are substantiated and thorough investigation and accountability from the department.' [STORY] The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has strongly condemned an alarming incident at Soshanguve South Secondary School on May 19, when community members allegedly assaulted learners for arriving at school late. See video below. — Pretoria Rekord (@RekordNewspaper) May 21, 2025 Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to bennittb@ or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
IOL News
21-05-2025
- IOL News
Protest erupts at Soshanguve school over learner assaults
Learners at Soshanguve South Secondary School broke the gate and joined EFF and United Africans Transformation party protesters, demanding the principal's resignation after a viral video showed outsiders assaulting learners with broomsticks. Image: Rapula Moatshe/Independent Newspapers Chaos erupted at Soshanguve South Secondary School on Wednesday morning when learners broke the gate and left the premises to join a group of protesters from the EFF and United Africans Transformation (UAT). The protesters demanded the principal's resignation after a viral video showing learners being physically assaulted with broomsticks by outsiders on school grounds on Monday, allegedly for arriving late. It is alleged that the school principal allowed outsiders, linked to a local community policing forum, to discipline learners who are sometimes involved in violent fights. A parent, who wished to remain anonymous, said her child was still traumatised after being beaten at school on Monday for arriving late. The parent said: "He told us he was traumatised after being beaten with broomsticks, like a thief, especially by someone who was not his father. He is injured on his back, and we had to massage him last night to ease the pain. I am not feeling well about what happened." Some learners claimed they had been previously assaulted in classrooms by the same community members, who also forced them to do push-ups. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Lindiwe Masilela from the EFF in Tshwane said her party's student command was called by learners to intervene in the situation that unfolded at the school on Monday. She condemned corporal punishment, saying it had been abolished long ago and what happened at the school was unwarranted. She demanded the arrest of the school principal, deputy principal, and the chairperson of the School Governing Body (SGB) for the assault incident. Additionally, she called on Gauteng MEC for Education, Matome Chiloane, to intervene, criticising him for merely attending ceremonial events instead of addressing pressing issues. Masilela dismissed the claim that her party had instructed learners to disperse from the school. "You saw that it was the leaders who broke the gate lock to escape because they were scared to be at the school," she said. Bongani Ramontja, leader of the civic group Soil of Africa, blamed the principal for involving community members in punishing learners. "We want decisive action against the principal. He should be suspended pending investigation, along with teachers who witnessed the incident and failed to intervene," he said. Lesley Sebotsane from UAT said: 'We need to get to the root of the problem so we can ensure our children are in a safe environment when they are at school. Reports of physical abuse signal that something is seriously wrong." Gauteng Education spokesperson Steve Mabona said the department is aware and deeply concerned by an incident that took place on Monday. 'According to our reports, community members allegedly overpowered scholar patrollers and forced their way into the school premises where they reportedly began beating girl and boy learners. It is also alleged that they nearly assaulted department officials and the principal who tried to intervene, and they proceeded to verbally abuse them,' he said. He said an assault case had been reported to the police and that psychosocial support was being provided to affected learners and staff. He appealed to the community to refrain from taking the law into their own hands. 'While we acknowledge the frustrations that may arise from issues such as late-coming, under no circumstances can physical violence or intimidation be justified, especially when directed at children and education officials,' he said.
![Soshanguve community members accused of assaulting pupils with sjamboks [VIDEO]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.citizen.co.za%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2025%2F05%2FCommunity-members-allegedly-assault-pupils-at-Soshanguve-school-with-sjamboks.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
The Citizen
20-05-2025
- The Citizen
Soshanguve community members accused of assaulting pupils with sjamboks [VIDEO]
Police are investigating an incident in which pupils were allegedly beaten with sjamboks for arriving late, reportedly under instruction from the school. Police are investigating an incident at Soshanguve South Secondary School in Tshwane, where community members allegedly entered the school premises and assaulted pupils with sjamboks under the guise of enforcing discipline. A video made rounds on social media platforms on Tuesday showing an incident where two pupils are seen being hit by two people with sjamboks as they entered the school premises. In the early frames of the video, a pupil is shown flinching after two men, both holding sjamboks, hit his legs before he quickly ran away. Onlookers, who are out of frame, can be heard screaming 'Ah!' after the boy was hit. Pupils allegedly hit with sjamboks for being late A second boy is seen entering the frame, where he is hit twice by the first man at the back of his thighs and then again by the second man on his legs as he jumps. According to reports, the pupils were allegedly assaulted for arriving to school late. ALSO READ: Principal removed from Madisong High School following corporal punishment allegations Watch the video here: Barbarism happening at Soshanguve South High School must be stopped, learners were punished because the scholar transport arrived late. Heads must roll. — Koena (@ThabaKoena) May 20, 2025 Rise Mzansi Chief Organiser Makashule Gana posted the video on his X (formerly Twitter) account, stating that he received it on Tuesday morning. 'It is alleged that the principal and school governing body (SGB) called community members to administer corporal punishment on school learners who were late for school,' he said in the video. Gana claimed that he was told that this is a practice that is continuing and has been done before. Principal and SGB allegedly sanctioned corporal punishment The Member of Parliament (MPs) said he would take the issue up with Basic education Minister Siviwe Gwarube, Gauteng Education and Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation MEC Matome Chiloane and Premier Panyaza Lesufi. 'Corporal punishment has been outlawed in South African schools, and there should be consequences for the principal and the SGB officials who sanctioned this punishment of learners who were late for school,' Gana said. ALSO READ: Teacher suspended after 'corporal punishment' video goes viral In response to Gana's video, Chiloane confirmed that the department was aware of the incident. The MEC said the matter is being handled with the urgency it demands. 'South African Police Service (Saps) is investigating. An assault case has been opened, and the school is opening a trespassing case,' Chiloane said. 'Affected learners have received medical attention and are receiving psychosocial support.' Police and internal investigation The MEC confirmed that an internal investigation into the matter is underway to establish how this happened. The Congress of South African Students (Cosas) and parents have also requested that the principal and the SGB chairperson step aside while the matter is resolved. 'We are fully engaged and will remain so until all facts are established and a just and satisfactory resolution is reached,' the MEC concluded. NOW READ: Section27 corporal punishment case heads to Supreme Court of Appeal
