A school bus driver who has been trending on social media for assaulting a learner is expected to appear at the Oopstad magistrate’s court on charges of common assault and attempted murder on Friday.
A video of the attack, which went viral this week, shows the 56-year-old bus driver punching and kicking a 17-year-old pupil inside a school bus on Monday.
The teenager is enrolled at the Hanover Farm School near Bulfontein in the Lejweleputswa district in Free State.
It is alleged that the learners were waiting for the bus in Hoopstad and when it arrived, the driver stepped out with a list of names. He called out the names for the learners to get into the bus until the victim was the only one left outside.
“The learner got into the bus to ask the driver why he could not use the school bus. It is alleged that the bus driver started to assault the learner and strangled him,” said Captain Stephen Thakeng, spokesperson for the police.
“The learner tried to fight back but was overpowered by the bus driver. The learner ultimately alighted the bus to report the incident to his mother.”
Tate Makgoe, Free State MEC for Education, condemned the attack and called for the driver to be suspended with immediate effect.
“I am completely disgusted by this physical and emotional abuse of this learner and others who witnessed this brutality,” said Makgoe, noting that the bus driver must be barred from working with children.
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