Corporal punishment: Warning for teachers

The department has reiterated that corporal punishment has been outlawed. 

This after calls by the South African Human Rights Commission that the ban be enforced. 

The commission made reference in its report to a recent case in Mpumalanga province where 14-year-old Siphamandla Choma, was paralysed and later died after being assaulted - allegedly by his principal.

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KZN Education's Kwazi Mthethwa says teachers will face serious penalties should they be implicated. 

"We condemn corporal punishment in the strongest possible terms. We're 23 years into our democracy and we cannot allow corporal punishment to be implemented. The South African Schools Act does not allow for corporal punishment to be implemented. Any teacher found doing it, will face disciplinary action," he said.

Meanwhile, the South African Council of Educators' Themba Ndlovu says teachers must use other means to enforce discipline. 

"There must be mechanisms put in place to put a stop to this. Corporal punishment can never be a form of discipline. Even during the times of former minister Kader Asmal, schools were given what we call alternatives to corporal punishment. We're calling on schools to look at that document, contextualise it and implement those alternatives," he said. 

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