The Western Cape Education Department has dispatched officials to a top Boland school to probe a Grade 10 pupil’s assault.
On Monday night a week ago, Dawid-Hendrik Roux was beaten between 1am and 2am in his hostel at Paarl Gymnasium - the historic school attended by a long line of distinguished national sportsmen.
Riaan Roux said the school had phoned his wife on Tuesday morning, telling her that their son had been vomiting.
Roux said his son had been taken to a local hospital, where it was discovered that the blood supply to one of his testicles had been damaged.
Dawid-Hendrik was then transferred to Vergelegen Medi-Clinic in Somerset West, but was not operated on because he became seized with panic.
His father then had him transferred to Louis Leipoldt Medi-Clinic, where a testicle was removed.
This morning, Roux said of his son’s condition: “He’s got a very strong personality. He’s very positive, so maybe the scars will heal.
“He’s out of hospital, but still at a place close to the hospital, in order to be nearby for check-ups, and then the doctor will decide when he can come home.”
The spokeswoman for Education MEC Donald Grant, Bronagh Casey, said this morning that the department was sending investigators to the school to establish what had happened.
She said: “We can confirm that a 15-year-old has alleged that two people came into the (residence) at 1am and attacked him. At this stage, we cannot confirm whether they were from the school, or from the outside.”
Roux said: “Obviously we’re very angry. Our main question is why. Was it someone who didn’t like him? That doesn’t seem to be the problem.”
He described him as “very fit, very strong - he loves the outdoors”. He had flourished at cricket, and had recently been selected for the first team, although he had yet to play for the team.
Roux said he would “definitely” want his son’s attackers to be criminally charged.
The school’s headmaster, James Genis, told a weekend newspaper he wanted the matter to be thoroughly investigated, but was not available to speak to the Cape Argus before 11am today.
Asked if his son would return to the school, Roux said: “He wants to, but I won’t send him back there.
“There’s too many things going on at those hostels,” he alleged. He would not elaborate, other than reporting that he had been contacted by a number of other parents, who shared certain concerns.
Provincial police spokesman Andre Traut said today the matter had not yet been reported to police. - Cape Argus