The Democratic Alliance (DA) will report implicated police officers from the Thabazimbi Police Station to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) for their blatant refusal to open a case of assault against a minor.
On 15 October 2025, the mother of an 8-year-old boy from Deo Gloria Primary School in Regorogile, accompanied by DA Councillor, Estie Fourie, went to the police station in Thabazimbi to lay an assault charge against a teacher who assaulted her child during school hours.
The teacher allegedly hit the young boy in his face with her fist.
The officers on duty not only refused to open a case, they were rude, intimidating and threatening towards the boy’s mother and councillor Fourie in the presence of the little victim.
On 16 October 2025, upon returning to the police station, the officers still refused to open a case, claiming that the matter must be resolved with the school.
Only after intervention by the DA on a national and provincial level was a case finally opened and a J88 medial examination form handed to the mother for a doctor to complete.
The SAPS National Instruction 3 of 2011, which governs the registration of case dockets, requires officers to assist complainants regardless of the circumstances.
According To STATSSA’s report of crimes committed against children for 2022/23, 16.7% of crimes reported against children in Limpopo are assault.
We will further report the incident to the Department of Education to investigate and institute disciplinary processes against the teacher.
The DA will not allow police officers to flout their instructions and to inflict secondary victimisation on already traumatised victims of crime who need assistance and compassion from those who are meant to keep us safe.