‘School bully was a teacher’ but officials slow to react
● An Eastern Cape woman has obtained an interim protection order against her nineyear-old daughter’s teacher, who she accuses of physically and emotionally abusing her child.
A hearing to make the order permanent was postponed last week to June 24.
In her application to the Zwelitsha magistrate’s court, Nomfundiso Ndlazi included a statement from Bhisho Hospital’s trauma counselling unit. The hospital said the child had been traumatised by the abuse, prompting her to refuse to go to school for 18 months.
The report said the girl claimed the teacher repeatedly hit her on the head with an orange pipe, told her not to look at her and said that the child’s headscarf stank.
The court order prohibits the teacher, Lulama Mgqontshi, from abusing the child emotionally or insulting her. It also prohibits Mgqontshi from “engaging or attempting to engage in harassment” of Ndlazi.
Mgqontshi continues to teach at the school, Masijongane Primary School, in Ndevana, outside Zwelitsha.
The education department admitted that the initial complaint by Ndlazi in 2016 had slipped between the cracks, and that a new investigation had now begun.
Ndlazi’s daughter had to repeat Grade 2, apparently because she was too scared to go to school. She is in Grade 3 this year.
Ndlazi told the Sunday Times her daughter’s alleged harassment was linked to a battle for control of the school governing body (SGB). In 2016, when Ndlazi was chair, it was tasked to appoint an acting principal.
“Ms Mgqontshi wanted the post badly so she started approaching SGB members … I refused her advances,” Ndlazi said.
“Because of this, she assaulted my daughter with a hosepipe. She accused her of practising witchcraft.”
9 YEARS the age of the child who was allegedly bullied by her teacher
Ndlazi said she complained to the district education department. An investigation was started, but nothing came of it.
In late 2017, a new principal, Nomakula Thabi, was appointed. Ndlazi said she had complained several times to Thabi, but once again nothing was done.
In May 2018, she approached the court. Following the interim order, the child returned to school in a different class.
Thabi told the Sunday Times she was aware of the interim protection order.
She declined to say why she had not intervened, and referred questions to the basic education department.
Mgqontshi refused to comment, referring the Sunday Times to her lawyers. She would not say who her lawyer was.
Provincial education spokesperson Loyiso Pulumani blamed a change of personnel at a regional office for the delay in dealing with the issue.
“A new person is now in place and only heard about this when the media inquired. The team investigating the matter now, from provincial office, will deal with this once and for all,” Pulumani said.
“The team will present a report with findings and recommendations to the head of department within seven working days.”
Khula Community Development Project director Petros Majola said Ndlazi had approached him early last year for help.
He said he had approached Thabi, who had told him she could not get involved because the department was investigating.
He said he had also approached Mgqontshi, who “didn’t show any remorse … instead she was so arrogant to us”.
“The education department should take full responsibility for the alleged actions of the teacher,” Majola said.
“The child is only back in class because she has an interim protection order. This child has lost more than 18 months of schooling.”
18 the time the pupil MONTHS spent out of school
[She] didn’t show any remorse … she was so arrogant Petros Majola
Director of the Khula Community Development Project