Free State bus driver learner

A school transport driver was filmed physically attacking a Grade 12 learner in the Free State. Image: Pixabay

Free State bus driver filmed punching and kicking learner

The Free State Department of Education has called for the suspension of a bus driver who was filmed kicking and punching a learner.

Free State bus driver learner

A school transport driver was filmed physically attacking a Grade 12 learner in the Free State. Image: Pixabay

The Free State Department of Education has called for a bus driver filmed punching and kicking a Grade 12 learner from Hanover Farm School to be permanently barred from working with children.

It is not yet clear where the incident happened, but it happened on Monday, 30 January, and the school is located near Bultfontein, Lejweleputswa District.

BUS DRIVER FILMED ATTACKING LEARNER IN FREE STATE

The MEC for the Department of Education in the Free State, Dr Tate Makgoe, has since condemned the incident.

In video clips that have been widely circulated on various social media platforms, the 56-year-old scholar transport bus driver can be seen physically abusing the 17-year-old learner in a bus by kicking the learner on his stomach and hitting and punching him.

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Makgoe said he is completely disgusted by the physical and emotional abuse of this learner and others who witnessed this brutality.

“This man must be permanently barred from working with our children….we have instructed the transport owner to suspend the driver immediately,” Makgoe added.

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The Free State Department of Education said the matter has been reported to the Department of Social Development, which is the custodian of the Children’s Act.

“The Department of Social Department will take further steps to ensure that children are protected from further abuse by this perpetrator as prescribed in the Children’s Act 38 of 2005. Police are also investigating the matter,” spokesperson Howard Ndaba said.

In 2022, a teacher at Wessel Maree Secondary School in Odendaalsrus in the same province was suspended with immediate effect after a video circulating on social media showed him violently pushing a learner. 

“We have launched an investigation to look into this unfortunate incident. At this stage, we do not know all the details pertaining to the incident. The investigation, once complete, will shed more light into what transpired. The department will, on the strength of the evidence at our disposal, then be able to make an informed decision on what action to take,” MEC Makgoe said at the time.

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