Johannesburg – The Gauteng education department will study a court decision awarding R23.5m to a pupil injured 10 years ago, an official said on Thursday.

“The department has noted the court’s decision, and… will be studying the judgment before making any comments,” spokesperson Gershwin Chuenyane said in a statement.

The education MEC was ordered by the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria to pay R23.5m in damages to a judge’s son, The Star reported on Thursday.

Christian Rabie, 23, suffered various injuries when he fractured his skull during a school playground game 10 years ago.

KwaZulu-Natal Judge Piet Koen was called to adjudicate over how much damages should be awarded to Rabie.

He was awarded R20.2m for loss of income and earning capacity, R800 000 in general damages, R787 386 towards future medical expenses, and R1.6m as a 7.5% add-on for the cost of protecting the award, according to the report.

The judge ordered that a trust fund be established to administer the money.

Injured during a game

The son of North Gauteng High Court Judge Pierre Rabie was hurt in a game where older boys flipped the younger ones into the air in a cricket net.

During a break on 31 July 2003, and in Grade 8 at the time, he was tossed into the air and fell to the ground.

The court had earlier ruled that the education department was liable for damages.

The department in 2008 appealed against the ruling that it was held 100% liable for damages, but five years ago the court turned down the appeal and said Rabie lacked the maturity to realise he could be injured.

He is now a law student at the University of SA (Unisa).

– SAPA