Shocking videos in which a prominent pastor allegedly entered a school by force and threatened staff emerged on Monday, quickly going viral.
The Gauteng education department confirmed the incident at Matshidiso Primary School in Katlehong where Paseka “Mboro” Motsoeneng allegedly forcefully entered the premises.
Gauteng education spokesperson Steve Mabona said: “In a series of shocking videos that have gone viral on social media, a well-known SA pastor is seen wielding pangas and threatening to attack teachers on the school premises.
“Disturbingly, another man is seen grabbing two learners, who were caught in the crossfire of this violent ordeal, while another is wielding an assault rifle.
“This violent and appalling behaviour has no place in our schools or our society.”
It is understood the issue concerned a custody battle involving Motsoeneng’s son’s children.
He apparently wanted his son to take the children away from the school.
The boys, attending grade R and grade 2, are under the custodianship of their maternal grandmother after their mother died in April.
Teachers, acting on alleged instructions from the grandmother, tried to prevent the father from leaving the school with the children.
Mboro allegedly threatened the teachers with a panga and the father left with the children.
Speaking outside the police station on Monday afternoon, Motsoeneng accused the children’s maternal family of wanting money from him to support the children.
Whatever the case might be, whoever is right or wrong, this should never have happened. Not anywhere, but especially not on school premises.
There is so much wrong here at face value, most importantly that individuals think it is OK to invade the safe space that this school is meant to be, wielding weapons and threatening those present.
Then, if indeed this sequence of events is accurate and a custody battle is at the centre of the extremely traumatic brawl, there are channels to deal with it.
Those involved should follow those channels instead of taking their private fights to such a public place.
The department committed to ensuring that justice is served in this matter and said psychosocial support would be provided to teachers and pupils to help them cope with any trauma resulting from this incident.
We hope that will be enough to deter any such behaviour in future.
HeraldLIVE