GRADE 9 pupil Thabang Tshabalala allegedly poisoned himself on Tuesday, 31 January, following alleged humiliation by his teachers.
It is alleged that they used to humiliate him in front of other pupils, alleging that his mother was a prostitute in Gauteng and bought him fake clothes.
The 15-year-old was attending school at Tlotlisong Secondary in Ficksburg, Free State.
Thabang had apparently asked his mother, Manlai Tshabalala, to find him another school but she refused. Then on Tuesday, he threatened to commit suicide if she continued to reject his request.
Speaking to Daily Sun, she said she tried several times to contact the school, but to no avail.
“I was offended and tormented to hear that teachers called me a prostitute. I didn’t manage to reach the school. My son warned me that he was experiencing a shameful life, and named those cruel teachers,” said Manlai.
Grandmother Elizabeth Tshabalala (78) said Thabang was a well-developing cyclist who had a bright future.
“I saw him laying on the floor with a box of poison next to his body. I then forced him to drink cooking oil, but he did not vomit. Police made false accusations against me, saying I’m the one who poisoned him. The school didn’t show any remorse,” she said.
Thabang’s classmates said they were aware of the humiliation, with one of them saying: “One day one of the teachers accused him of wearing fake clothes and being a failure.”
Following Thabang’s death, angry pupils damaged the school, teachers’ vehicles and police cars while violently attacking teachers – accusing them of being the cause of his death.
Provincial Education spokesman Howard Ndaba said they received a paper, where the deceased wrote the names of three teachers.
“The department will launch a proper investigation. The deceased’s family has promised to write a formal letter to the department, sharing what they know,” he said, pleading with pupils to go back to school.
Warrant Officer Mmako Mophiring said police attended to a complaint at the school, and some pupils started throwing stones at their vehicle and overturned it.
You must be SIGNED IN to read comments
“A back-up was summoned, and three more cop vans were damaged. They also damaged the school windows and gates, but teachers and police were unharmed. One pupil, who was standing by, sustained an injury after being hit by a stone on the head,” said Mophiring.
A case of public violence has been registered.
