A leader of the Nyanga Community Policing Forum is calling for a special engagement with all relevant stakeholders involved in the case of a missing learner from Hlengisa Primary School in Nyanga. The Grade 1 learner went missing on Friday 31 July and was found locked inside one of the classrooms at the school on Sunday 2 August after an intensive search.

CPF demands coordinated government response

Nyanga Community Policing Forum secretary Dumisani Qwebe said the forum wanted all relevant government departments to work together to resolve the issue. “All we want is for the child’s rights to be protected, as enshrined in the Constitution. We want the Department of Social Development, Education, Home Affairs, the police and community structures to come together and sit around one table to find a solution. It is clear there is a problem at the place where the child is staying.”

He added that the government cannot sweep the matter under the carpet as if nothing happened.

Qwebe said there were allegations that the learner was being mistreated at the foster home in White City, Nyanga he was staying at.

Western Cape Education Department (WCED) spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said the department was relieved the Hlengisa Primary learner was found safe and unharmed, on Sunday, 2 August, after being reported missing by his foster mother on Friday afternoon, 31 July.

“The principal immediately joined the caretaker in searching the school premises. A further search was conducted by the principal on the premises later that evening. Search efforts continued on Saturday, including at the school by officers and other community members. On Sunday afternoon, 2 August, the principal, caretaker and officers unlocked the classrooms and found the learner hiding under a table in his classroom,” said Hammond, adding that he was unharmed and subsequently placed in the care of social workers.

Hammond said current school procedure requires teachers to lock classroom doors when leaving and the caretaker to conduct final checks and secure classroom security gates.

WCED reviews school safety procedures

“The school is reviewing these procedures following the incident to strengthen end-of-day checks and accountability measures. The learner had used a tablecloth to hide himself under the teacher’s desk, so he was not clearly visible or answering calls of his name. A review of the procedures that were followed is underway and will determine whether disciplinary action will follow. However, it is also alleged that the learner deliberately hid in the classroom.”

She said WCED Safe Schools and psychosocial-support services to the learner and school community were underway. She said a review of the circumstances surrounding the incident were also underway, including an assessment of school procedures and whether any further action was required.

Police transfer case to FCS Unit

Provincial police spokesperson Capt FC van Wyk confirmed Nyanga officers had registered a missing person’s report, and that the case had been transferred to the Nyanga Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) unit for further investigation.

“According to reports the caretaker locked all the classrooms on Friday 31 July after a function, and the principal opened the school only on Sunday 2 August for Nyanga FCS members to search the school premises and classrooms. The child was found in a classroom at the school.” He said the child was questioned and handed over to personnel from the Department of Social Development.

“The child was removed and [has since been] placed in another foster home.”

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