The father of a grade 12 learner, who has been suspended from school after he was attacked by a fellow learner, is demanding justice as his son remains at home while his alleged attacker attends classes. Philasande Mthethwa (17) who attends Glen Vista High School in the South of Gauteng was attacked at school by a grade 8 learner three weeks ago.

ATTACKED AT SCHOOL

Philasande's father, Xolani Mthethwa, a nurse in Johannesburg, said his son was attacked after he reprimanded a grade 8 learner. Mthethwa told ZiMoja that his son warned the grade 8 learner to stop vaping near him during a lunch break. "My son warned the grade 8 learner to stop vaping near him or else he would confiscate it and report it to the teachers. The learner started a fight with my son and they physically confronted each other. During the altercation, the other learner's cellphone fell out of his pocket. The learner accused my son of stealing his cellphone. Despite a teacher witnessing the incident, they did not intervene," Mthethwa added. He stated that after school, his son was attacked by the same learner and his friends.

THE ASSAULT

Mthethwa said outside the school premises, his son was met by the boy's father waiting for him on the road. "He grabbed my son and assaulted him with a sjambok. Other learners also joined in. The security guards at the school tried to intervene but they were also assaulted," he said, adding that as much as the father of the learner and the learner were arrested for the assault; it was disturbing that his son was told to stay home for his own safety.

"I've never been called into the school to find out why my son was told to stay home. They just told him that it was safe not for him to be at school. I don't understand why they told my son that. The school must make sure that every learner is safe at school. I want justice for my son and want him back at school because the other learner who is out on bail is still at school," he said. The Department of Education spokesperson Steve Mabona had not responded to our enquiry by the time of publication. Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi confirmed the incident and said," A case of assault GHB has been opened and two suspects were arrested and the case is going to court."