Daily Voice reports on a case of alleged assault of an eight-year-old girl by a teacher at a Mitchells Plain primary school last week that resulted in the little girl being so traumatised that she now cries constantly and is scared to go to school.  

Her angry father’s account of the incident is as follows:  “My daughter, in Grade 2, takes a lift home with a teacher at the school every afternoon.  She was playing in the park when the Grade R teacher walked to the park, grabbed her by her ear and dragged her towards the school.  She also kicked her in her back.  My child cried for hours thereafter.”  He went to the school the following day to complain, but was told the teacher was not employed by the Western Cape Education Department (WCED).  According to the department, the teacher was appointed by the school governing body (SGB) and they could do nothing about her.  But the father has laid a charge against the teacher and he wants the WCED to do something.  A police spokesperson confirmed that a case of assault had been opened for investigation, but said no one had yet been arrested.

• Read this report by Saafia February in full at Daily Voice

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