By Obakeng Maje
The community of Cokonyane village, near Taung were up in arms after they accused one of the local teachers for kidnapping.

According to one of community representatives Ernest Orapeleng,28, said Thapelo Oss who is a teacher at Marubising Secondary School is allegedly working together with some of villagers in kidnapping some residents.

“The teacher is working with some of locals and they are using a hearse. Some of locals confirmed that they were chased by a hearse during the night, but escaped the fierce attack” Orapeleng said.

The classes were disturbed on Monday as villagers and school children gathered at the school field chanting and singing struggle songs and demanded that the alleged teacher to evacuate their school premises.

The situation was tense on Wednesday as mixed emotions ran through residents’ veins when they gathered at local tribal kraal.

Headman Mankuroane said he has not reported the matter to his high authority, chief Tshepo Mankuroane due to his illness, but will take community grievances to him on Friday.

The North West Department of Education spokesperson Brian Setswammung said they are still waiting for a final report from the school principal and they will respond after gathering all information.

“We have not gathered all details, but I promise that after we’ve received a final report from the school principal, we will respond” Setswammung said.

The villagers vow that they will take the law into their own hands if the chief and the department of Education does not heed to their call.

“We want the accused teacher to leave our school premises and must never set foot in Cokonyane village, otherwise we will burn him alive. We are sick and tired of people who come and commit crimes in our village and go unpunished” Willam Seane laments.

The accused teacher, Thapelo Oss said he does not know anything regarding allegations leveled against him, however said he still need to consult with his family and legal team before he can fully respond to allegations.

“I am so traumatized right now and I do not know what to say because I know nothing about those allegations, however I still have to meet with my family and explain to them about this before they read about it in the newspaper. So I am asking you to postpone the matter and wait until I met with my family and legal team to see what decision to take” Thapelo Oss told our crew.

Oss was given two days off from the school.

The villagers also alleged that Oss was chased away from other schools in Mokgareng and Maphoitsile villages for misconduct, however he refuted those allegations and said this is a smear campaign to discredit him.
-TDN
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