PUPIL IN WHEELCHAIR FOLLOWING ASSAULT
Parents sue state for millions over son’s pain
THE Mpumalanga education department says it only learnt through lawyers that a 14-year-old boy who was allegedly assaulted by a principal is paralysed.
This was after Siphamandla Choma, a Grade 5 pupil at a primary school in Mhluzi in Middelburg, was allegedly assaulted by the principal last year after he was accused of stealing R150.
The principal, who cannot be named because he has not been arrested nor appeared in court, has been suspended by the department pending an investigation.
“This matter, which is said to have happened in August last year, came to the knowledge of the department on 12 December 2016 through a letter from Mabaso Attorneys.
“The head of the department, Mrs [Mahlasedi] Mhlabane, swiftly directed for an investigation on the matter, which led to the precautionary suspension of the principal on Monday 23 January 2017,” department acting spokeswoman Mandisa Ndlovu said. The investigation would also look at why the incident was not reported to them, she said.
Siphamandla’s mother, Christina Choma, described her son’s life after the incident as a life of pain.
“It is painful to watch my son struggling to get into his wheelchair, when he used to walk and was very energetic. The pain is more when the person behind this is living a normal life and we still have to bear the pain daily,” Choma said.
The matter was reported to the police but the man has not been arrested yet. Brigadier Leonard Hlathi said the police were busy taking statements to present the docket to the national director of public prosecution for a directive.
“Remember, as the police, we investigate to arrest, not arrest to investigate, so the public must rest assured this case is receiving the attention it deserves. We acknowledge that the parents opened the case last year.
“We are working with the social workers to better get statements from the child so that he does not feel threatened, so soon the police will bring the suspect to court,” he said.
Eddie Mabaso, from Mabaso Attorneys, said the Chomas were suing the education department.
“Yes, we are taking the department to court, but we are unable to divulge how much we are demanding to protect our client’s life, but let’s just say it’s millions of rands. As, the attorneys, we feel that we have a strong case; in fact overwhelming merits against the department,” he said.