Pupil’s pipe beating caught on video

Yoliswa Sobuwa
sobuway@avusa.co.za

A SHOCKING video clip in which a Port Elizabeth high school teacher hits a 16-year-old boy with a plastic pipe is being circulated among pupils in Motherwell.

The incident – captured by another pupil on a cellphone – occurred at Cingani Secondary School in NU 6, Motherwell, last week.

In the 37-second video clip, teacher Mziwanele Mpande hits the boy nine times on the left hand, sometimes missing as the boy pulls his hand away.

However, pupils said he received at least 18 lashings – not all of it recorded – despite apologising and pleading with Mpande to give him a chance to defend himself.

Mpande declined to comment.

The Grade 10 pupil, – who asked not to be named as he feared being victimised, – said yesterday the incident occurred during their history period on last Thursday last week. There was no teacher in the class at the time.

"The other kids started singing in class and because I was not feeling well I went to sit outside. I saw Mr Mpande ... who is teaching English in grade 8, 9 and 11 going to our class and I quickly ran back to the class,” he said.

"He asked the class who was sitting outside and I told him it was me. He then accused me of singing in class. I tried to explain to him that I was not involved in the singing and thatut I was just sitting outside, but he did not listen.”

Another Grade 10 pupil, who also asked not to be named, to remain anonymous – said the teacher then sent another pupil to fetch what pupils described as a hosepipe. In the video, the pipe appears to be a plastic type used for plumbing.

"We thought he was going to hit him three times but the beatings continued for more than 10 minutes, ... it was seriously scary.” We were all scared and we did not know what to do. The boy kept apologising but that fell on deaf ears. He hit him eighteen18 times and then left,” he said.

The pupil who was beaten said his left hand was swollen and he had internal bleeding on one of his fingers.

"I informed my life orientation teacher who said I should take action, but I decided to leave the matter.” he said.

School principal Solomizi Faku, who was not aware of the incident until The Herald told him about it yesterday, said: "My teachers know it very well that corporal punishment is not allowed at this school ... as it was abolished a long time ago. I am embarrassed and very disappointed atin the teacher,” Faku said.

"THIS IS A SERIOUS MISCONDUCT AND The matter will be investigated followed by disciplinary actions after. We are also going to report it to the Department of Education,” Faku said.