Man in school fight video was ‘protecting son’
THE man in a viral video seen assaulting two schoolboys outside Strelitzia Secondary School in Isipingo last week, claims he was protecting his son from being struck with a metal pipe.
It is believed the fight broke out between the schoolboys from rival bhajan groups in the area.
The parent of a Grade 11 pupil, Michael Pillay, said his son had not attended school that day but they arrived to pick up his nephews. He said he attempted to break up the fight when his son was almost attacked.
“A group of boys were fighting with another boy known to me. I tried to intervene by calmly requesting they stop, which they did. Suddenly, one of the boys from the group began screaming and swearing. He pulled out a metal pipe from his bag and aimed it at my son.”
Pillay said he instinctively tried to stop him.
“That’s when I ran towards him and the altercation happened.”
Pillay said another pupil tried to grab him, and he reacted by grabbing hold of the boy and slapped him.
“But that’s all people are concentrating on. These are high school boys, who also attacked me.”
The guardian of one of the boys who was assaulted said: “I’m not condoning the action of the child, but this is an adult who should know better…”
Annie Naidoo, the mother of the Grade 10 pupil who was allegedly assaulted by the group, claimed he was pinned on the floor and assaulted at the school earlier that day.
“He came home with a cut on his nose and his jaw, face and ribs were swollen.”
Naidoo has opened a case of assault. Police spokesperson Colonel Thembeka Mbele confirmed that an assault case was opened at Isipingo SAPS.
The school governing body chairperson, Rashid Desai, said: “We will also be meeting with the parents and thereafter a formal hearing will be held.”