Principal ‘paraded pupil naked’

A Dimbaza primary school principal appeared in the Zwelitsha Regional Court yesterday for allegedly stripping a pupil, 10, and making him walk around the school naked as punishment.

The principal, 60, has been charged with sexual assault.

She is not being named as she has not yet pleaded to the charge.

The pupil’s guardian laid a complaint against her in October.

This followed an incident in which the principal allegedly instructed a group of Grade 7 boys to fetch the pupil to her office.

Once in the principal’s office, the boy was allegedly striped naked and forced to do a door-todoor parade of the school, from Grade R to Grade 7.

He was being punished for allegedly dangling a fellow pupil over a bridge the day before.

It is the state’s case that the boy tried to hide his private parts with his hands, but the principal allegedly ordered the boys to stop him doing so.

The principal has been placed on precautionary suspension.

The case was initially heard in the Dimbaza Magistrate’s Court.

It was transferred to the Zwelitsha Regional Court after the police completed the investigation.

The principal, who made her first appearance in the Zwelitsha court yesterday, was flanked by a group of friends and relatives.

Prosecutor Ayanda Hasheni told the magistrate the matter was ready for trial and asked for the case to be postponed for a pre-trial conference.

The principal’s attorney, Bulwana Bangani, agreed.

He told the court he would file a motion for the charge to be dismissed by the Director of Public Prosecutions in Grahamstown.

After consultation, it was decided that the matter would again be heard on March 29.