Bus attack: Girl’s mom fights hard
A 16-year-old disabled girl missed four days of schooling after she was assaulted by the food handler.
Her mother Tshepiso Monnakgotla, 37, said since the incident her daughter had been complaining about headaches and body pains.
The incident‚ which was captured on a cellphone in a scholar transport bus a week ago, shows the food handler repeatedly assaulting the Grade 8 pupil at Adelaide Tambo School in Soweto until she is restrained by the driver of the bus‚ who then drags the pupil out of the bus.
The girl is then left lying on the ground crying.
“I am worried about her health. When I first saw the video I cried, especially when I saw the part where she lies in a foetal position, weeping after she had been thrown off the bus,” Monnakgotla said.
She added that she has also not been at work since last Tuesday because she wanted to look after her daughter.
“I went to report the matter at the school on Wednesday and I was disappointed at the response I got from the principal.
“He was not helpful at all. He told me the bus driver was just protecting my daughter.
“That made me very angry because it’s not like I owe them school fees. I pay every month, even if it means that I have to walk barefoot to see my child at school,” she added.
“It really baffled me to receive such arrogance from someone [principal] who is supposed to look after our kids, who happen to have special needs. All I want is justice for my daughter.”
It was not clear why the child was assaulted. The bus driver has since been suspended and a process of counselling affected learners has commenced‚ the department said.
It said the incident was not reported to the district office by the school and, as a result, the department only learnt about it when the video footage emerged.
Officials were sent to the school to investigate.
Department spokesman Steve Mabona said officials had also launched a probe so that disciplinary measures could be initiated.
“The food handler is no longer at the school and the bus driver has been suspended,” Mabona said.
MEC for education Panyaza Lesufi said they were disappointed by the incident.
“Extra care must be afforded to pupils with disabilities. It is shocking to see the escalating incidents of assault in our schools. As a department we will act vigorously in making sure that perpetrators face the might of the law,” Lesufi said.