The mother of a 12-year-old pupil at Somerset West Primary School says authorities have failed her after her daughter was snatched by a stranger and found tied and locked up in the girls’ toilet at the school.
The mother says the incident happened last Monday and her child was tied to the toilet for two hours with the belt of her school dress.
The girl had been too afraid to call out for help after her attacker told her to “shut up or else”.
The mother says the child feared the man “would come back and rape and kill her”.
According to the child, a black man, dressed in black clothing and a balaclava grabbed her as she was walking towards her class.
He had whispered in her ear that she should be quiet and led her into the girl’s bathroom.
He then removed her belt and bound her hands to the sewerage pipe on the toilet cistern.
He left and the terrified girl was too scared to make a sound.
The mother says she waited for the Grade 6 pupil after school, but she failed to appear.
“I went to the principal for help and he announced it on the intercom.
“I am not allowed on the premises so I waited at the gate.
“My other daughters went to look for her and the principal left.
“I panicked and called the police,” the traumatised mother says.
Police found the girl in the toilet.
“We opened a case with the police and the principal barely gave us any help. He walked out of a meeting with the School Governing Body and has offered no counselling for my child.”
School principal, Kobus van Schalkwyk, states he did not have a key to open the gate for the mother, so he made an intercom announcement and left as he “was on his way home”.
Western Cape Education Department spokesperson, Bronagh Hammond, says officials have been sent to the school to examine their security.
“The WCED also sent a social worker to the school to engage with the learner,” Hammond says.
Police spokesperson, Mihlali Majikela, confirmed the incident is under investigation with no arrests made.