The charges against a teacher, accused of slapping a Sans Souci pupil last year, have been withdrawn.

Clarissa Venter and the pupil’s mother laid counter assault charges after the pupil shoved the teacher, who retaliated by striking her across the face, News24 reported.

The case against Venter, 34, was withdrawn on Friday following representations made to the chief prosecutor at Wynberg Magistrate’s Court by Venter’s lawyer, William Booth.

Booth confirmed the court’s decision, saying it was based on the merits of the evidence against her.
He previously said he believed the case should be withdrawn as the disciplinary hearing against his client had been dealt with and that the pupil had decided to leave Sans Souci.

Booth said Venter was “quite relieved” at the court proceedings’ outcome, having faced a great deal of “upheaval” in her life as a result of the incident.

Venter has undergone a disciplinary hearing and has returned to work. The school governing body’s decision was that she should receive a fine, final warning and anger management sessions.

According to Netwerk24, the child involved in the incident has been ordered to complete community service.

A clip of the altercation went viral on social media. It showed Venter and the pupil, who may not be named as she is a minor, having words about her not having a book.

She grabs the teenager’s cellphone and during the exchange that follows, the girl accuses the teacher of swearing at her and the teacher orders her to leave the classroom.

This results in the child swearing at the teacher, pushing her table into the teacher’s legs and pushing the teacher with her shoulder.

The teacher slaps the pupil, before grabbing her by the front of her shirt. The girl holds on to the teacher’s arm and tells her, “You hit me!”, and the teacher replies that the girl pushed and swore at her.

The pupil’s mother has also laid a claim at the Equality Court, claiming for damages amounting to R150 000.

Source: News24