Cape Town - The disciplinary hearing at Table View High School, following a fight between two pupils, allegedly over a stolen cellphone, will continue next week.
A video of the two pupils involved in the scuffle went viral on social media, showing one pupil being beaten to the ground outside the premises of the school, on July 29.
The disciplinary process commenced on Wednesday.
Western Cape Education Department WCED spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said the disciplinary hearing is ongoing and the outcomes will be communicated once finalised.
“The pupil’s suspension has come to an end, according to policy, however, the pupil has not returned to daily school attendance and is receiving educational support at home. The victim was present at the disciplinary hearing. He was not at school today, as it is not his grade’s attendance day, according to their rotation schedule,” said Hammond.
The father of the victim said the pupil, who took his son’s cellphone, should be punished accordingly by the school.
“On the first day of the hearing, interviews were conducted and, yesterday,(Thursday) the pupils were stating their side of the story. Currently, I am impressed by how they are conducting the meetings, but they should try not to drag the matter on. I will attend every session of the hearing. I want to make sure that my son gets the justice he deserves,” said the father.
EFF spokesperson Andiswa Madikazi said they would not let the matter slide.
“The Western Cape Education Department is deliberately prolonging the process, with hope that it will disappear into thin air, then it becomes business as usual. They have no plans of suspending the violent pupil, nor do they plan to provide medical treatment – both physically and mentally – to the victim. I’m informed that the school governing body is aware of the social media outcry, which means that prolonging the process is so that things calm down, so that they can carry on like nothing happened,” said Madikazi.
Provincial ANC education spokesperson Khalid Sayed said: “We await the outcomes of the disciplinary hearing and hope that it doesn't drag on any further. I would rather have a detailed process than a rushed one.”
Cape Times