Once again, the safety of teachers in KwaZulu-Natal is under scrutiny following the release of a video showing a teacher being assaulted inside the school premises.
In full view of students and teachers, a male teacher from Zwelibanzi High in Umlazi, south of Durban, can be seen being attacked with golf sticks, sticks, and knobkerries during class.
It is not clear why the teacher was subjected to an assault.
It is suspected that a parent who had an altercation with the teacher in the morning organised about five men who returned to the school and attacked him.
Muzi Mahlambi, the spokesperson for the department of education in KwaZulu-Natal, condemned the attack.
“This one is disappointing. You can’t have parents attacking teachers in front of their children. What kind of example is this?” Mahlambi asked.
Calls for the police and other stakeholders to coordinate efforts to combat crime and protect teachers and learners will undoubtedly be revisited in light of this incident.
Previous incidents have resulted in the death of a school principal, and teachers, support staff, and learners’ lives were put in danger after their laptops and cellphones were stolen.
Food poisoning suspected
In a separate incident, Ohlange High in Inanda, north of Durban, suspended classes because more than 40 pupils had stomachaches.
It is suspected that the food they were served caused some of them to pass blood and struggle with stomach cramps.
Nokuzola Mbotho, a worried parent, claimed that her child called her while she was being taken to a nearby clinic for treatment.
“She told me that she ate at a school function. Apparently the MEC for education [Mbali Frazer] had been to the school on Monday to introduce a contractor,” said Mbotho.
“I am just glad that she was rushed to the clinic before it got worse.”
Mahlambi stated that the food served at the school was also consumed by the officials, teachers, the MEC, and parents, and that they were unaffected.
“What gives us comfort is that the health inspectors are involved, and they will get to the bottom of this so that all of us will have a peaceful closure,” said Mahlambi.
“We thank the health colleagues for attending to our learners at the clinic. All learners were released after treatment.”
