Teachers demand action after urine-throwing incident at Joburg primary school

Teachers at a Johannesburg primary school have demanded urgent action after a Grade 7 pupil allegedly threw a container of urine over a female teacher in the classroom, an incident staff say is part of escalating ill-discipline at the school.

What teachers say happened

Staff at Laerskool Generaal De La Rey told the South African Teachers’ Union (SAOU) the attack is one of several incidents that have made the working environment “hostile and unsafe.” The union said teachers reported verbal abuse and threats, and that another pupil brought a dangerous object to school.

SAOU spokesperson Dems Nel said the union attended the school to assist members and that the teachers had sought help from the Gauteng department of education (GDE).

“The school, staff and pupils have struggled with cases of pupils’ ill-discipline, which conduct has escalated to verbal abuse and threats and resulted in a teacher being thrown with urine by a pupil and another pupil bringing a dangerous object to school.”

Union accuses department of inaction

Teachers told SAOU an official from the GDE had told them to “deal with it yourself,” a response the union described as unprofessional and callous. Nel said the affected female teacher “is currently dealing with severe illness within the family and is already under great stress,” and that the conduct had further harmed her well-being.

“Horrible conduct like this only serves to further damage and place stress on the psyche of the teacher. The effects of the pupil’s actions cannot be understated and the failure by the employer to protect teachers in their workplace must be addressed with the utmost urgency and seriousness.”

SAOU has submitted formal grievances on behalf of its members, requesting that the GDE address the “hostile, unsafe and untenable working conditions” and that an investigation be opened into the GDE official who made the remark.

GDE response and school actions

GDE spokesperson Onwabile Lubhelwana confirmed the department was aware of an alleged bullying incident involving pupils at the school and said the matter “is receiving attention.” She said the department had not been formally presented with the video circulating on social media and could not, at this stage, confirm the precise nature of what is depicted in the video.

“The school governing body [SGB] is currently undertaking disciplinary processes in terms of the South African Schools Act, as amended. District officials, including the school safety official and institutional development and support officer, were at the school this morning to support the SGB chair and the principal with the management of the suspension process and the issuing of letters to the two alleged perpetrators.”

Lubhelwana added that a departmental psychologist has provided psychosocial support to the affected pupil and engaged other pupils in the group for debriefing and appropriate intervention. She also said the department could not disclose information that may identify the pupils involved because they are minors.

Next steps

According to SAOU, the union awaits a formal response and investigation from the GDE following the grievances it lodged on behalf of school staff. The SGB is continuing disciplinary processes, and the outcome of those hearings will be communicated once the procedures have concluded, the department said.