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Lerato Mbhiza
A man seen pulling a 13-year-old pupil’s dreadlocks at Crowthorne Christian Academy in Midrand in a widely shared video was released on R2 000 bail on Thursday.
The 51-year-old Andries Booysen appeared in the Midrand Magistrate’s Court on a charge of assault after a widely circulated video showed the learner being forcefully removed from the classroom due to a new policy that prohibits dreadlocks.
According to the school’s new hair policy the 13-year-old broke the school rules by having dreadlocks. The learner missed classes on Monday and Tuesday this week after she was forcefully removed from her classroom.
A video capturing the moment, including the assault of the mother by a school official, alleged to be Booysen surfaced on social media yesterday.
The school, which the Gauteng Education Department has said had been operating illegally, has since closed its doors following the incident.
Booysen was seen in the video pushing the pupil during an argument between the school’s principal and the girl’s mother on the school premises on Monday.
The NPA’s spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwana said the case was postponed for further investigations.
“The husband of the school’s principal, who is the accused in this matter, Mr Booysen, allegedly, violently pushed the learner and her mother. He was released on R2000 bail on condition that he must refrain from communicating or interfering with state witnesses. He will be back in court on the 2nd of October.”
INSIDE EDUCATION
