A Bulawayo woman says her son, a grade three learner at Henry Low primary school, had to be rushed to hospital after an alleged bullying incident.
Sarudzai Nyandoro shared her son’s ordeal at an International Women’s Day event organised by Emthonjeni Women’s Forum.
“My son is a victim of abuse,” she told the gathering.
“He was admitted to Richard Morris at United Bulawayo Hospitals after he was bullied at school on Thursday last week. He sustained a swollen eye.”
She later discovered that her son had also sustained a swollen knee but had hidden it from her.
The son later opened up and told her mother that he had been bullied at school.
“He told me that he was eating Marula fruit and he mistakenly hit the other boy with one of the seeds. He said he tried to apologise to him but he moved to manhandle him but he was talking in vernacular and my son doesn’t understand vernacular. He went and called his friend and they started assaulting him while the other one was kicking him,” said Nyandoro.
“As I am speaking my son is going for an operation, my son is a victim and I have been crying every day.”
She said her son couldn’t speak up as they promised to beat him up again if he told anyone.
“He also said he felt that he was also in the wrong as he is the one who mistakenly hit him,” said Nyandoro.
In following up on the issue, Nyandoro later told the publication that her son’s condition had become worse and he had to be taken to the intensive care unit after he developed septic arthritis on the affected knee.
Septic arthritis is a serious type of joint infection. It’s a very serious condition which can affect people of any age.
Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education and police officials said they were still verifying the matter.
