Schoolkids beaten with fan belt

2008-09-05 08:18

Henry Cloete

Bloemfontein - Seven young schoolchildren were allegedly repeatedly beaten on their backs by a teacher with a fan belt - as they helplessly hung in the air. Shortly afterwards, they had to pack their bags and together recite the Lord's Prayer in Tswana.

Teacher Dikeledi Moshe, 49, was arrested and appeared in the Bultfontein Magistrate's Court on Thursday on a charge of assault.

She allegedly ruthlessly beat the seven children with a car part this week at a farm school near Dealesville in the Free State. She was released on bail of R1 000. The case was postponed to September 22.

Two classes

The seven pupils all live on the farm Meerlandsvlei, where their parents work. The Rankunyane Primary School, which is attended by about 25 children, is 25km from the farm. Moshe is the only teacher, and had two classes.

Elisa Maditjane, whose 10-year-old son was one of the victims allegedly assaulted with a fan belt, said she was shocked and had cried when the children came home from school on Tuesday with bruises on their backs.

The children said Moshe was in one classroom while they were in the other. They were talking and making a noise, until she looked through the window and told them to quieten down.

When they did not, she allegedly came into the class and shouted at the children, "You don't learn!"

Beaten repeatedly

With the fan belt in her hand, she ordered one child to come closer. He tried to get away. The teacher then allegedly ordered of the bigger children to hold him.

The children demonstrated on Thursday how they were picked up, one by one, and held while Moshe beat them repeatedly with the fan belt.

Four bigger children would pick up the children and let them hang upside down in the air while she beat them.

Farm owner Hannes Linde said he was shocked when he saw the children.

- Volksblad