DURBAN, August 12 (ANA) – KwaZulu-Natal acting police commissioner Maj-Gen Bheki Langa has personally intervened to ensure that a case of assault is opened after a video of an assault on a schoolgirl at a school in Inanda, Durban was brought to the attention of the South African Police Service (SAPS), KwaZulu-Natal police said on Saturday.
Police were also investigating allegations that the girl’s father was advised by police last year not to open a case against the perpetrator.
“It is very disturbing to see a young women being assaulted in such a vicious manner by a fellow learner in a space where she should have been safe,” Langa said.
“It is even more disturbing to note that the perpetrator is a young man in the prime of his life who should not be exhibiting such violent behaviour especially towards young females. The station commander at Inanda SAPS Brigadier Mnganga has been instructed to personally intervene and a case of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm was registered,” he said.
The 19-year-old schoolboy had been taken into custody. A statement was also obtained from the father of the victim who alleged that he spoke to police officials in November last year with regards to the assault and was advised against opening a case.
“Although he cannot recall who he spoke to, every attempt will be made to identify those who may have been responsible so that they could be brought to book. The SAPS views the problem of gender violence in a very serious light and will not accept officials who act outside the prescripts of the law, as all those who do not comply with our internal directives in this regard.
“We are working very closely with the father of the victim to identify the officials that he spoke to last year. We view the actions of these individuals as very serious misconduct and they will be dealt with very firmly within the prescripts of the law as well as our own disciplinary regulations,” Langa said.
According to reports, the 19-year-old boy was handed over to police by his father. In the video that went viral on social media, the boy was seen repeatedly beating a grade 10 schoolgirl “until she bleeds”. The girl, now 17, had since changed schools but was traumatised.
– African News Agency (ANA)
