A grade 11 pupil from the notorious Cefups Academy in Mbombela is recovering in hospital after she was allegedly beaten up by a manager who also used an okapi knife to cut her “short skirt”.
Provincial police have confirmed that a case of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm (GBH) was being investigated.
According to a statement Aphiwe Akhule Mpakumpaku,18, submitted to the police, the school manager, Simphiwe Mkhatshwa, allegedly labelled her a prostitute during an incident that happened at the private school on Wednesday.
She said there was a fight at the school and after it broke out, she went to class.
“On Wednesday, I was at my school Cefups Academy. It was about 9am. There was a fight between girls and boys. I then went to my class at grade 11B. Mr Simphiwe Mkhatshwa, the school manager [owner], came in and asked the whole class who was fighting and no one answered him.
“Then he said to me why am I showing him my stretch marks. I said I didn’t because I don’t have any. He then said he will never teach prostitutes in his academy and took out a knife and tore my skirt in front of all the students. That was when he started to beat me with open hands several times and he hit me with a fist on my right eye,” the statement read in part.
She said after the beating, Mkhathswa lifted up her skirt. “I was so furious and asked him to let me go home, but he strangled me... and pushed me to sit down. Simphiwe left me with a lot of pain (sic),” she continued in her statement.
Mkhathswa’s phone went unanswered yesterday and he did not respond to text messages sent to him.
The school landline was also not answered.
Her mother, Thandeka Mpakumpaku, said she was shocked that her child was not even taken to hospital though she fainted after being beaten.
“I was called by other children who said my child has fainted after a beating . I called the school and they said it’s minor injuries but I asked them to send my child to hospital and I went straight to the hospital where Aphiwe told me what really happened to her.
“What pains me the most is that I sent my child to learn not be beaten by grown-up men. My child is traumatised and on the said day, she was supposed to write her exam but did not. I want justice for my child,” said Mpakumpaku.
Provincial police spokesperson Brig Selvy Mohlalasaid: “We can confirm that there’s a case of assault GBH, where the complainant was assaulted by an educator in front of other learners and also used an okapi to tear her skirt. The police are also investigating a malicious damage to property case and the suspect has not yet been arrested.”
The school was founded by the late Simon Mkhatshwa. It is known to practicing corporal punishment, which has led to the department of education temporarily shutting it down.
In 2014, Paballo Seane, 19, died of her injuries after she was allegedly assaulted by Mkhatshwa, who was arrested for murder but died before it was concluded in court.
Former pupils who have spoken out about corporal punishment at the academy said it was a norm.
Provincial education spokesperson Jasper Zwane said the department is awaiting a formal complaint from the parents.
“We received a call from a parent. As you know, it is a private school and as the department we asked for a formal complaint from the parent and will act thereafter,” said Zwane.
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