PHOLA – During the June 2019 exams, a school teacher, Makgeru Macksam Mahlangu from Makause Combined school slapped a 14-year-old grade 9 pupil, Nqobile Petunia Mbonani to a point of deafness.
A few days later the 14-year-old began to experience pain on the left eardrum, then the doctor recommended that she is taken to a hospital because of the severity of the illness.
According to the pupil’s mother, Phindile Motla, her eardrum got worse and her hearing was badly affected ever since. It later emerged that the school principal, Bathuseng Ntuli, initially took the matter lightly when alerted from the onset but only after the child’s hearing was badly affected then he began to pay attention. It is further alleged that the teacher, Mahlangu, has a tendency of slapping learners in class and most of these cases are either reported to principal Ntuli who never takes them seriously or the learners lets them slide due to the fear of the teacher.
It is alleged that the pupil, Mbonani, had witnesses, other learners from her class, and upon the matter taken forward, Mahlangu denied the allegations that he slaps pupils. In an attempt to get to the bottom of the matter, principal Ntuli took the child to the hospital where it was confirmed that the child’s eardrum has been damaged dismally.
The frustrated mother of the pupil took the teacher to the circuit court regarding the matter which was later transferred to Kwa-Mhlanga court which postponed the hearing. Motla further approached the department of labour in Witbank which did not get back to her, while eventually, the principal advised her that the case could only be submitted at court.
For some unknown reason to Motla, the South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU), which represents the teacher in question, cancelled the court hearing, while the department of labour in Emalahleni on the other side said it was not SADTU that cancelled the case. They said the hearing was not cancelled but rather postponed due to the fact that they were still sourcing a Presiding officer from either the provincial or district offices.
“The case was postponed due to logistical issues, so the case is still pending. We will arrange the hearing as soon as we are back from lockdown. We make the request from the head office for the services of the presiding officer and different offices from the Mpumalanga provincial or district department of education, either Gert Sibande, Bohlabela or Ehlanzeni because we cannot continue with the matter on our own, hence they must come from a different district from ours,” Emalahleni Labour Department said.
Mbonani said, “I do not deserve what happened to me. Teacher Mahlangu is not even sorry for his actions instead he denied beating me in class. Now my left eardrum has developed some serious injuries and it is affecting my studies. I no longer perform like I used to, I have low marks because I can’t hear properly. My mother doesn’t have enough money to pay medical bills. Teacher Mahlangu must pay.”
Attempts to get hold of Mahlangu for his side of the story were unsuccessful. Education spokesperson, Gerald Sambo, reported that, “Mr Mahlangu was served with the charges. Due to the implementation of the lockdown as pronounced by the President of the Republic of South Africa, the disciplinary hearing could not proceed as planned. The department will resume with the disciplinary hearing processes as soon as the Lockdown has been eased or completely lifted.”
