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The Western Cape Department of Education has confirmed that a teacher from Thembalethu Primary School in George, Western Cape, has been suspended after a video showing the alleged humiliation of a learner in class sparked outrage online and within the local community.
The incident quickly went viral on social media, prompting anger from parents and residents. Community members later staged a protest outside the school demanding action against the teacher.
Speaking to Briefly News, the department’s spokesperson Bronagh Hammond confirmed that officials were aware of the situation and had already taken steps against the educator. According to Hammond, the teacher has been temporarily suspended while a formal investigation is carried out by the department’s Labour Relations Directorate.
Hammond explained that the video was reportedly recorded by the teacher herself and later shared in a parents’ group chat for the class. The recording allegedly showed a learner who had not received items purchased during a school fundraising initiative, including a pie. The teacher is said to have used the video to highlight that the learner was the only one excluded from receiving the items.
However, Hammond noted that after filming the clip, the teacher eventually gave the learner the goods herself.
Despite this, the department strongly condemned the manner in which the situation was handled. Hammond described the teacher’s behaviour as “totally inappropriate,” stressing that the dignity of learners must always be protected in a school environment.
Following the incident, officials from the Western Cape Department of Education met with community members who protested outside the school on 11 March. Teaching and learning have since resumed at the school, while counselling support has been offered to the affected learner and his parents.
“The WCED remains committed to ensuring that all learners are treated with dignity and care, and that appropriate professional conduct is upheld at all times. A thorough investigation is now underway,” Hammond said.
Meanwhile, the story has also drawn attention online after social media influencer Mandisa Tshingana stepped in to help the learner. Through an appeal to the public, she reportedly helped raise nearly R40,000 to support the boy and his family after the incident went viral.
Many South Africans praised the initiative on social media, saying the support had turned a painful moment into an opportunity to help secure the child’s future. Others, however, continued to criticise the teacher’s actions, arguing that the incident may have left lasting emotional scars on the young learner.
