25-05-2025
Pupil crashes teacher's car after taking it for a joyride
Pupils were meant to wash the car as part of a fundraising event.
The vehicle's radiator and gearbox were severely damaged.
Police refused to open a case of theft but are pursuing other charges.
The vehicle of a teacher from Jan Kempdorp in the Northern Cape was severely damaged after Grade 11 pupils, who were supposed to wash it, drove it through the town without her permission and ended up in a water canal.
El-Zané du Plessis, a foundation phase teacher at a combined school in the town, said the pupils were meant to wash her Volkswagen T-Cross for a fundraising project at the school last week.
Instead, the troublemakers took it for a drive around the town. She bought her car at the end of 2022.
'The school had a sports day, and various grades came up with plans to raise funds. For example, one grade sold cookies, while the Grade 11s decided to wash the teachers' cars.'
I don't really like the idea as I'm afraid the kids might scratch your car or mess around with your things, but I eventually agreed after they pleaded with me. They were too busy on Thursday, so I let them wash my car on Friday.
El-Zané du Plessis
'That morning, I unlocked my car for them and left the key with them because I was worried the car might lock automatically while they were cleaning it. After break, one of the children called me and I thought they were going to boast about how clean my car was.'
When I got to where my car was supposed to be, a child was sitting there and told me he had gone to store buckets and rags, but drove into a canal because he had swerved to avoid a dog.
El-Zané du Plessis
Du Plessis and a colleague rushed to the scene of the crash, where a mother with her child told her the pupil had been driving at an 'incredible speed' and had almost hit her before landing in the canal.
Supplied
The vehicle's radiator, gearbox and chassis suffered severe damage, and a part of the engine also broke off.
'One would think the students wouldn't dare even start your car, let alone drive it around,' said Du Plessis. 'Initially, there were three kids in the car, but one became so terrified that he asked to get out.
'The boy driving had allegedly [the previous day] taken another teacher's car and driven through the town. Although she gave him a stern talking-to, he just went and did it again.'
When confronting the boy, Du Plessis claimed he didn't even apologise.
He told me both his parents are unemployed, so I could just sue him, and I would get R20 per month. He was unbelievably arrogant.
El-Zané du Plessis
Du Plessis said some people asked how she could have given her car keys to children.
'No sensible child would take a teacher's car and drive it around. They've lost their minds,' she said.
She was also disappointed with her union, the SA Democratic Teachers' Union (Sadtu), which allegedly refused to support her in the matter, as well as with the police, who refused to open a case of theft.
Police spokesperson Colonel Cherelle Ehlers said that the police were instead investigating a case under the National Road Traffic Act, which involves the use of a vehicle without the owner's consent. More charges may be added later.
Paul Sauer, chief executive of Sadtu, stated that the union could take criminal action against children, but would support its member should she be dissatisfied with the employer's disciplinary process.
'The disciplining of schoolchildren will occur within the school's code of conduct,' he said.
In the meantime, Du Plessis has obtained private legal representation.
Geoffrey van der Merwe, spokesperson for the department of education in the Northern Cape, said the department was aware of the incident and it was being investigated.
