There was chaos at Makhetha Primary School on Wednesday after the school’s headteacher was reported to have severely beaten a pupil for selling popcorn in class.
The development did not go down well with the community members who ran riot damaging the school’s property in their pursuit for revenge.
When The Daily Times crew visited the scene, the violence had subsided but there was heavy presence of the police who were firing tear gas to disperse the angry members of the community as well as pupils.
The police had also whisked away all the teachers to their offices in Limbe for their safety.
Limbe Police Deputy Spokesperson, Widson Nhlane, confirmed the fracas.
“The pupil fell to the ground when the head teacher tried to grab some of the merchandise and he later told his parents that he was severely beaten and the parents came with other members of the community, vandalising the schools property including the head teacher’s house and his office,” he said.
Nhlane said the police rushed to the scene to maintain law and order and to prevent further damage to the property.
But one of the eyewitnesses, David Kazembe, claimed the pupil fainted following the assault and this angered the community.
Kazembe faulted the police for firing tear gas which he said also affected innocent children, mothers and old people carrying out their daily businesses in their homes.
“Look at the tear gas in the residential area. We have women children and old people sleeping in their homes. How can they run? The police are being unfair and unprofessional,” he said.
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