Johannesburg - The South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) has welcomed the arrest of the schoolboy filmed hitting and kicking a schoolgirl at a school in Inanda, Durban, and called on KwaZulu-Natal education authorities to suspend the principal for his failure to report the matter and or act on it.
“Violence at our schools has reached alarming proportions. Failure of authorities to protect girl children against bullying and vicious attacks, such as the one that occurred Siyathuthuka High School, is a serious dereliction of duty for which school principals must be personally held accountable,” Sanco national spokesman Jabu Mahlangu said on Saturday.
The law had to take its course to send an unequivocal message that there was no place in society for perpetrators of gender-based violence. “There is nothing macho about lifting a hand against women and girl children,” he said.
Those found guilty of such behaviour had to "live to regret the moment they crossed the line". Mahlangu urged communities to unite against gender-based violence and expose perpetrators.
According to KwaZulu-Natal police, the 19-year-old boy was handed over to police by his father. In the video that went viral on social media, the boy was seen repeatedly beating a grade 10 schoolgirl "until she bleeds". The girl, now 17, had since changed schools but was traumatised, he said.