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Thandeka Moyo Chronicle Correspondent
PARENTS with children attending school at Longwe Primary in Bubi District where an alleged paedophile teacher sodomised 10 pupils are breathing fire over the incident.
They have taken school authorities to task over the incident demanding the immediate dismissal of the teacher.
The suspect, Nkosiyazi Sibanda (20), who is a temporary teacher, has since appeared in court at Inyathi and he was remanded in custody.
A Chronicle newscrew visited the school in Kenilworth Resettlement Area on Tuesday and met some of the angry parents.
They said their children were now traumatised following the incident.
“I am failing to come to terms with what my son went through and I wonder if he will ever be a normal child again. He is now being stigmatised as other pupils are now calling him all sorts of names and that has really affected him psychologically.
“He has actually become a laughing stock of the whole community ever since he revealed that he was one of the victims and I am failing to find a way of helping him out of this,” said an emotional Mr Sipho Mali.
He said his son went for HIV tests last week.
“I pray that the evil teacher did not infect my son with HIV. I still cannot believe that this man sodomised 10 boys yet we treated him as our own son despite that he comes from Sogwala in Lower Gweru,” said Mr Mali.
Another parent Mrs Cydia Vimbelela blamed the headmaster for failing to encourage pupils to open up on such issues.
“During our days school heads were there to protect children and be their counsellors. I believe the headmaster was unapproachable because all nine children suffered in silence. One wonders where the headmaster was all along.
“To make matters worse, the headmaster has made no effort to address us as parents and we are beginning to wonder if ever he really cares about our children. I am now scared to send my children to school because if a teacher can sodomise 10 pupils without anyone noticing, it means a lot is happening at that school,” said Mrs Vimbelela.
Mr Homestead Maqathelana said Sibanda had betrayed them as a community.
“He should never think of setting his foot here because we will not accept him. We treated this man with love and even went out of our way to help him whenever he needed assistance and this is how he decides to thank us.
“ This act has angered us and we will never trust any teacher,” said Mr Maqathelana.
The parents appealed to responsible authorities to come up with abuse awareness programmes so as to empower the pupils.
“The 10 pupils are now living as outcasts in their own village. Teachers are also making fun of them at school and we appeal to the civic society and police to help us address this issue.
“As for Sibanda, we do not wish to see him again not in our lifetime,” said Mr Maqathelana.
The headmaster, a Mr Mhlanga, could not be reached for comment as he was said to be out of office.
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