By: Nokulunga Mkize

Matric pupils from Sparks Estate Secondary allegedly smashed the school principal’s car after she refused to sign their Central Application Office (CAO) forms.

According to Azania Zuma, former learner, matric pupils of Sparks Estate secondary have been asking their principal for two months to give them school reports and sign their CAO
forms so they can be able to apply at universities to further their studies.

“The principal refused saying that she will not sign the CAO forms if the pupils haven’t paid their school fees,” said Zuma.

One of the matric students and leader of Congress of South African Students (COSAS) Siphesihle Tshibi (19), was taken to hospital after being allegedly beaten by SAPS and Metro
Police in front of the whole school.

Tshibi said that he was only trying to calm the students who were boycotting at the school premises.

“While I was busy calming down the students, that’s when the principal assumed that I was the one who started the whole protest and called the police to come and arrest me,” said he.

Tshibi added that he is afraid to lay charges against the principal since he believes that she is a friend with police.

According to Zuma, police came to the school looking for a learner named Sphesihle whom they denied knowing his whereabouts.

“I guess they recognized him because he was wearing a matric jacket with his name written on it.

That’s when they dragged him and attacked him with a pepper spray, they had no right to do that,” said Zuma.

Currently the school has no security at the gate. The COSAS students have been taking the responsibility of the school’s safety into their hands by guarding at the gate so no criminals
can enter.

The case against Tshibi has been dropped because police could not find a solid charge against him.

The Department of Education has suspended the principal until this matter is resolved by the Branch Executive Committee (BEC).

According to Mbongeni Jali from the Mayville police station, the police that were at the scene were trying to calm the situation.