Gauteng Education launch a probe into violent altercation between pupil and teacher.

By Lehlohonolo Lehana.

The Gauteng Education Department has launched an investigation into the violent altercation between a pupil and teacher at the Glenvista High School, in the south of Johannesburg.

A video of the incident, which took place on Thursday, was shared widely on social media on Friday, leading to a public outcry.

The teacher is seen standing up from the classroom floor and then throwing a chair at a pupil.

Another pupil behind him throws what looks like a table at the teacher, while others can be heard screaming in the background.

Department spokesperson Steve Mabona says MEC Matome Chiloane has condemned violence in the classroom.

“According to information at our disposal, the incident took place on Thursday, 2 May 2024. A video of the incident was captured, and it shows an educator and a learner fighting violently in class, damaging school furniture in the process.”

Mabona said, the department was probing the cause of the altercation.

“We take this matter seriously. The safety of everyone on premises of schools remains our utmost priority. However, such ill-discipline will not be tolerated. Schools are for development, not any other nefarious deeds. As such, we are investigating the circumstances surrounding this incident and we will act on decisively on our findings,” Mabona said.

Reacting to the video clip, Basil Manuel, executive director of the National Professional Teachers’ Organisation of SA (Naptosa), said it was a great pity that the teacher had “lost his cool completely” during the incident.

“There must have been extreme provocation for the teacher’s reaction. Our plea to teachers is they must try and defuse those situations because at the end of the day, the people will focus on the adult and not the child because the adult did certain things,” he said.

In 2021, pupils from Glenvista High School who refused to write an exam torched parts of the school hall, causing extensive damage. Curtains, a projector screen, electrical wiring and the public address system were damaged in the blaze.

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