Cape Town – Pupils from Tolweni Primary School in the Eastern Cape were blasted across social media platforms after some pupils were found sleeping on the floor in a parking lot dressed in their school uniform.
It has been alleged the pupils were on a tour at Wildcoast Sun with teachers and the principal.
It was further alleged the children were dumped in the parking lot as the adults left them to head to a braai and casino.
A social media post was made on an Eastern Cape job page claiming the pupils were left alone on Friday from 6pm until 2am the following day.
“The school kids you see on these pictures are from Ntabankulu. The kids were/are on a tour at Wildcoast Sun with their teachers and principal.
“Now the situation is that the taxi drivers, teacher, and principal left these kids in this cold parking lot and went to braai on some beach last night.
“They left at 6pm and came back at 2am the following morning, which means the kids slept in this parking lot.
The teachers, taxi drivers & principal all left in one taxi and locked the other taxis. [sic],” the post read.
This caused outrage across social media.
Claims were made the school was a part of the Ntabankulu Local Municipality.
However, the municipality’s spokesperson, Lungisile Mzanywa, said the municipality immediately went on a fact-finding mission after the claims were made.
“It is now confirmed that the school is under Qumbu, not Ntabankulu.
“The department authorities from the side of Qumbu are following up on the matter and giving it the necessary attention it deserves. Those who rang the bell upon discovering this disturbing scene are most appreciated,” Mzanywa said.
Later, the Mhlonto Local Municipality confirmed the school fell under ward 25 and confirmed the pictures.
However, in a post made on Facebook, it said the pictures were not a true reflection of the events and stated there was no mistreatment of pupils by teachers.
A meeting was held at the school.
“The school is in ward 25 of Mhlontlo Local Municipality in villages that are under Qumbu jurisdiction as per the municipal demarcation, though historically under Ntabankulu.
“Pupils, educators, and a parent who was on the trip confirmed that there was a group of pupils and educators who waited at the fuel station while others were busy with some essentials for them around, they confirmed no one was abused by educators and parents,” the municipality said.
It further encouraged those organising trips to find proper ways of arranging logistics to avoid negative publicity.
IOL