Video ‘shows crèche beatings’

POLICE: TWO CASES OF ASSAULT OPENED, BUT ONE HAS SINCE BEEN WITHDRAWN

Lawyer for daycare centre confirms internal investigation is underway.

Police are investigating two Pretoria teachers who were seemingly caught on camera beating children, allegedly at Darwin’s Educational Playground Aftercare crèche.

Camera footage shows the teachers – reportedly a mother and her daughter – manhandling and beating toddlers at the crèche in Pretoria Gardens.

According to a report in local community paper Pretoria Rekord, the crèche is owned by two sisters, Lizelle Guida Zimmermann and Lucinda Correia, who also teach at the crèche.

Their mother, Anna Peyper Correia, is a teacher.

In one video, a woman is seen spanking a child in the toilet while another video shows a woman using force to get a blonde little girl to sit in a certain position on the floor.

A third video shows another woman spanking a boy in front of his classmates.

The videos were allegedly captured by another teacher, Tiffany Mostert, who said she was appalled at what was happening at the crèche.

Mostert, who resigned this year, said she had tried to warn parents that their children were being beaten.

The parents of two of the affected children have removed them from the school and have opened child abuse cases at the Hercules police station.

Police spokesperson Captain Augustinah Selepe confirmed that two cases of assault are being investigated. She said one of these was withdrawn, while the other matter would be brought to the senior public prosecutor for a decision.

A lawyer for the school, Jaco Koster, said it does not condone or allow the use of corporal punishment. “We endeavour to treat every child in our school as our own and we are investigating the allegations,” he said.

Koster added that while it could not be confirmed that the videos were taken at Darwin’s, he said an internal investigation was underway.

“None of the videos clearly show the premises and/or personnel allegedly involved,” said Koster.