Police investigate sexual assault of eight-year-old boy at Cape Town primary school

POLICE are investigating the sexual assault of an eight-year-old boy, allegedly by a fellow pupil, in the toilet of a Cape Town primary school. 

According to the parents of the grade two pupil, they received a call from the teacher last Tuesday that something had happened but the teacher did not go into detail about the incident. The teacher told them they needed to come to school the following day. 

“It took quite a while for him to let us know what happened. We were having dinner. Eventually, he felt safe enough to say what happened to him,” the mother said.

The child said he was dragged into the bathroom, hit on the head, and forced to pull down his pants. His screams for help were eventually heard by another pupil, who ran to alert a teacher.

The family said once they realised the seriousness of the incident, they were unhappy with the school's handling of the matter.

“(After we found out), we were fuming, it was say past 7pm. I contacted my lawyer who advised us to go to the police station immediately. From there we were sent to the GBV clinic that was around 11pm at night. They examined the child. We only left there past 2am,” the father added. 

“The teacher was fully aware but told us absolutely nothing. She was insisting we have a meeting with the other parent and the boy the next day, as if this was just another case of bullying,” the father said.  

The parents were at school the next morning only to be told they could not be seen until the afternoon. When they eventually got to speak to the principal, they said they were told she would investigate.

“It is negligence of the school not to inform us about exactly what happened immediately and how they are treating it. No level of urgency, they showed no empathy, it’s just been like nothing this serious happened at their school."

The distraught parents added that their son was traumatised and has said, “I don’t ever wanna see that school".

The parents stated that under no circumstances would they send their child back to the school and were determined to enroll him in a new school.

“We worry about our son. The hardest thing is processing everything that has happened to my son. Then the stress of getting him into a different school. At the moment he constantly wants to be around us. He wants to see us everywhere. We support him and sit and do things with him,” the mother said. 

The family are expected to meet with police and a social worker this week. 

“This office can confirm that the mentioned incident is a sexual assault case registered at Athlone SAPS for investigation. Investigations continues, no arrest as yet,” police spokesperson, FC van Wyk said. 

The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) said the school followed the necessary protocols.

“The school has reported that witness evidence and security footage do not support the claims. SAPS is currently investigating. An incident involving two learners did occur in the afternoon, after school. This was just before 3pm. The school reports that the parents were called at 3:10pm after the learners were taken to the office and the situation explained. The claim that the learner was dragged into a bathroom is not supported by the evidence. 

“The school followed all the necessary protocols and counselling support will be provided. The parent can engage with the district office in terms of possible placement at the alternative school,” WCED spokesperson, Bronagh Hammond said. 

Social service organisation, Ilitha Labantu said the impact of sexual assault on children is profound. 

“In the short term, children may present with anxiety, fear, withdrawal, changes in behaviour, sleep disturbances, and a decline in school performance. Over time, if the trauma is not addressed, the consequences can include post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, difficulties in establishing trust and healthy relationships, substance abuse, and an increased likelihood of re-victimisation. This is why early and sustained intervention is essential to help children begin the process of healing," the organisation's spokesperson, Siyabulela Monakali said. 

He explained that South African law provides that children under the age of twelve are considered below the minimum age of criminal capacity. This means that an eight-year-old cannot be prosecuted or held criminally liable in the same way as an older individual. 

“While the police may still investigate the circumstances of the case, matters involving very young children are referred to the Department of Social Development and child protection services. The focus is not on punishment but rather on rehabilitation and assessment, including whether the child alleged to have committed the act has themselves been exposed to abuse, neglect, or harmful environments,” Monakali added. 

Cape Times