Hundreds of pupils were absent fearing they would be the victims of “hooligans” who smear them with shoe polish on Guy Fawkes Day.
|||Cape Town - Hundreds of Western Cape children were absent from school on Monday fearing that they would be the victims of “hooligans” who smear pupils with shoe polish or hurl paint and eggs at them on Guy Fawkes Day.
Principals said pupils had told them of youngsters – some wearing pantyhose to cover their faces – who apparently place blades between their fingers and then smear them with shoe polish. They said parents were too afraid to send their children to school.
Some schools were forced to call the police to ensure their pupils’ safety.
A Cape Argus photographer saw groups of children in Mitchells Plain beating each other with what appeared to be pantyhose filled with paint during school hours.
Passing cars were also targeted.
Condoms filled with paint were also hurled at a Cape Argus vehicle.
Edwin Philander, principal of Saambou Primary in Manenberg, said fewer than 100 of the school’s 360 pupils were at school on Monday: “In one class there are only two learners. Pupils fear the smearing. It is terrible. We dread November 5.”
A teacher at Leiden Secondary in Delft, who didn’t want to be named, said only 132 of the school’s more than 1 000 pupils had arrived for class, while at Rocklands Primary in Mitchells Plain, about 50 percent of pupils were absent.
Dino Abrahams, principal of Crystal Secondary in Hanover Park, said that in order to ensure his matric pupils’ safety, teachers picked up pupils at home on Monday morning. Police were also asked to assist.
Matrics wrote their maths paper 2 exam on Monday.
“There are very few kids at school. The only group that is well represented is the matrics,” Abrahams said.
Achmat Chotia, principal of Glendale Secondary in Mitchells Plain, said the incidents happened every year: “A lot of children are absent and I’m saddened by this. These hooligans are disrupting education. Communities, police and the Education Department have to get together and change this.”
He said he had phoned the police to ask them to protect pupils after school.
Bronagh Casey, spokeswoman for Education MEC Donald Grant, said a number of schools in the Mitchells Plain area had reported high absenteeism.
She said while some pupils feared being attacked, others were participating in the activities.
“The Western Cape Education Department and schools have contacted the police who are on high alert in the area, particularly around the schools. A group of children were allegedly moving from school to school [on Monday] morning and were seen with paint,” she said.
“This is a totally unacceptable practice which should be condemned by the community. It not only affects teaching and learning time, but also puts some of our learners at risk.”
ilse.fredericks@inl.co.za
Cape Argus