Kamogelo Moichela
Johannesburg - The MEC of Education in the Free State, Tate Makgoe, has strongly condemned the physical abuse of a learner by a school bus driver.
A 17-year-old Grade 12 learner at Hanover Farm School near Bultfontein in Lejweleputswa District was allegedly physically abused by a school transport driver on Monday.
This follows a video clip which has since gone viral on various social media platforms showing a 56-year-old bus driver in a bus physically kicking a learner on his stomach, hitting and punching him.
Makgoe said he was disgusted by this physical and emotional abuse of this learner and others who witnessed this brutality. He also insisted the bus driver be permanently barred from working with children.
The MEC said his department was providing learner transport to farm learners to allow them access to basic education by preventing them from having to walk long distances to and from school.
“We have instructed the transport owner to immediately suspend the driver,“ Makgoe said.
He said the matter has also been reported to the Department of Social Development which is the custodian of the Children's Act.
Makgoe stated that social development would take further steps to ensure that children were protected from abuse by a perpetrator as prescribed in the Children's Act 38 of 2005.
"Psychosocial support and counselling will be provided to learners who witnessed this horrifying abuse," he said.
He further mentioned that the police were probing the circumstances around the matter.
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