ANCYL calls on govt to conclude investigation in Middelburg pupil’s death

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ANCYL calls on govt to conclude investigation in Middelburg pupil's death
A LIFE CUT SHORT: Siphamandla Choma with his mother outside their home in Middelburg. PICTURE BY SABC

The regional league structure says they stand by a statement they made on 24 January 2017 in which they condemned such a “barbaric act of corporal punishment”.


The ANCYL in the Nkangala region has called on the department of education to speed up and conclude investigations in the matter of 14-year-old Siphamandla Choma.

Choma was a learner at the Manyano primary school in Middelburg.

He died on Sunday night (19 Mar) following an alleged assault by his principal which left the child paralysed and in and out of hospitals before his death.

The police in Mpumalanga have opened an inquest docket – in order to determine whether Choma’s death was as a result of the beating.

The department of education is also conducting investigation to determine the same.

SEE ALSO: EFF Mpumalanga calls for murder charge against Middelburg principal

League regional spokesman Tsekiso Machike in a statement this week said the ANCYL in the region was shocked at the latest developments in the issue of the child and was calling on both the department and cops to speed up and conclude investigations.

“It is shocking to learn that in South Africa today, according to the annual report of South African Council of Educators (SACE), there are 1078 cases of corporal punishment against teachers which were lodged since 2011 and this is appalling to say the least,” Machike said.

“We stand by our earlier expressed views around this unfortunate incident.

“We send our sincere and deepest condolences to the family of Siphamandla Choma, his friends and fellow pupils at Manyano primary school.

“As the ANC youth league in the region, we call upon different political parties not to grandstand around this unfortunate development and mortgage political interests, but to give an auxiliary support to the family to mourn the death of their beloved departed son and ultimately find closure and justice on the matter,” said Machike.

(edited by ZK)

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