Investigation launched after two-year-old allegedly assaulted at Phoenix creche

A team of social workers has been dispatched to the early childhood development Centre(ECD) in Phoenix to investigate the incident where a teacher was caught on camera kicking a toddler.

THE FATHER DEMANDED TO SEE VIDEO FOOTAGE AND WAS SHOCKED AT WHAT HE SAW

KwaZulu-Natal Social Development MEC Nonhlanhla Khoza recently reportedly condemned the abuse and called on police to act swiftly to arrest the perpetrator.

“It doesn’t matter whether the ECD is privately run, but child protection is our responsibility. Children’s rights are contained in the Constitution. We are not going to tolerate any abuse of children. We call on the law enforcement agencies to make an example of the people who abuse our children,” she said.

The Department will wait for the social worker’s report to determine what steps need to be taken against the institution in question.

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Khoza said the social workers would meet with the parents of the children and the principal of the ECD.

The teacher who was caught on camera kicking a toddler has reportedly been dismissed and charged.

The child hurt his forehead, nose and mouth.

The child’s father, Preshalin Pillay, told eNCA that he noticed his child’s wounds when he fetched him from Just Juniors Academy Crèche.

“His forehead was swollen, and he had lacerations on his nose. The teacher said he had hurt himself. She said she didn’t know how he got hurt,” he said.

He claimed the teacher was hesitant to show him, but he persisted.
He said when he did eventually view the footage, he saw his son was kicked.

Pillay said this was not the first time that his son had come home with bruises from school.

Pillay said he had opened an assault case against the teacher with the police. KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Captain Nqobile Gwala confirmed that police were investigating an assault case.

“A case of assault was opened for investigation by Phoenix SAPS after a 2-year-old child was assaulted while at a crèche in Phoenix on September 23.

The docket has been transferred to the FCS (Family Violence, Child Protection, and Sexual Offences) Unit for further investigation,” said Gwala.

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