Bullies ‘flush boy’s head in toilet’
|Published
Duneside Primary Photo: Tracey Adams/African News Agency Duneside Primary Photo: Tracey Adams/African News Agency
The parents of a six-year-old boy are demanding answers after their child was allegedly “tortured” by bullies in the school bathroom.
The attack, in which the Grade R pupil’s head was allegedly forced into a toilet bowl and flushed, allegedly took place at Duneside Primary School in Westridge, Mitchells Plain on Thursday.
According to the parents, the little boy had gone into the bathroom and found Grade 7 boys “peeing all over the floor”.
“He froze and was told by the older boys to pee as well,” his mother says.
She says when her son tried to go into a stall, he slipped on the urine on the floor.
The boys allegedly picked him up and then dunked his head in a “faeces-filled toilet bowl”, as they flushed.
The mom, 31, says the boys laughed as he went to the basin to wash off the faeces from his face.
“His face is bruised from where it was slammed inside the toilet bowl and his legs have bruises on them as well,” she says.
TRAUMATISED: Six-year-old learner lays screaming the entire night after the ordeal, says his mom. Photo: SUPPLIED
The mom says her son was shocked and traumatised and went back to his classroom, too afraid to say a word to the teacher.
She says the boy’s oupa lives close to the school and he went there after school in tears.
She says she eventually got him to tell her what had happened.
“I sat there absolutely shocked. I went to the school and the principal told me the matter was dealt with. Two children walked up to us and said it did happen,” says the upset mother.
“I left the school crying, not sure where to turn to.”
On Friday, they went to the Mitchells Plain Police Station and opened a case of assault.
She says her son, the oldest of three children, has not slept since the incident and refuses to go back to school.
“He lays screaming or crying the entire night,” the mother says.
HURT: Learner shows bruises on his face. Photo: SUPPLIED
Principal Cliff Chateau on Monday said the boy’s version of events is “incorrect”.
“He slipped and fell and his eyes were closed when the other boys helped him up,” Chateau claims.
“They took him to the basin where he knocked his face and helped him to wash his face off.
“We are busy with an investigation and a disciplinary process with the school governing body to get to the bottom of it all.”
Provincial Education Department spokesperson, Bronagh Hammond, adds: “The WCED’s district office was informed of the incident this morning and is awaiting the report.”
Captain FC van Wyk confirmed a common assault case was registered at Mitchells Plain SAPS.