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News24 reports that an Eastern Cape school principal has been suspended after he allegedly used a rope to lower an 11-year-old pupil down a pit toilet to search for his missing cellphone after it accidentally fell into the latrine.
The incident happened at the Elundini-based Luthuthu Junior Secondary School in Joe Gqabi district, two weeks ago. The principal, Lubeko Mgandela, declined to respond to questions from the media. The incident was kept under wraps until it came to the attention of the children’s advocacy group, Khula Community Development Project, which blew the whistle earlier this week. The faeces-covered 11-year-old was apparently seen by dozens of learners and is now too ashamed to attend classes. The one-hour cellphone search operation involved dozens of other school children who were allegedly ordered by the principal to use buckets to remove as much faeces as possible before the boy was lowered down. The boy apparently stood knee-deep in human waste, using his hands to search for the cellphone, but to no avail. The principal had reportedly promised the pupil R200 for the job, but when the leaner returned without the cellphone, the disappointed principal only paid him R50. Khula has called for the principal to be dismissed. On Monday, the Eastern Cape education department announced that it had launched an investigation into the incident, while MEC Fundile Gade ordered that the principal be placed on precautionary suspension.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Malibongwe Dayimani at News24
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