A PUPIL was beaten like a dog by taxi drivers in front of his headteacher and staff at a Brits school in the North West.
The headteacher allegedly called the taxi drivers to come and discipline the pupil because he asked for his cellphone back.
The horror incident unfolded at Lot Mashiane Secondary School on Wednesday, 4 February 2026.
Phones seized
That morning, headteacher Christinah Kgarume organised a search with taxi drivers and the community policing forum (CPF).
Many pupils were found with cellphones. The taxi drivers took them away.
They told the pupils their parents must come to a meeting to collect the phones.
Pupils whose phones were missing were punished.
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Later, the headteacher gave some phones back to pupils. But not this boy.
When the boy asked for his phone back, the headteacher got angry.
She allegedly called the taxi drivers back to the school.
"Come back for this pupil. He's out of order and needs to be disciplined," she allegedly told the taximen.
Dragged and beaten
The taxi drivers stormed into the grade 11 classroom.
"Where is he?" they demanded to know.
When the terrified boy stood up, they allegedly attacked him in front of his classmates.
They dragged him outside and continued beating him.
Hospital hell
The injured child's mum rushed him to a doctor the same day. He was referred to Brits Hospital and admitted.
Doctors said his injuries were so severe they couldn't operate because he was under 18.
He was discharged and placed on medication.
The education department held a meeting on 12 February with SAPS, CPF, taxi association and School Quality Learning and Teaching campaign members.
The boy's family visited the school on 11 February and met the circuit manager and headteacher. They all apologised to the family and the family accepted the apologies.
Departmental spokesman Vuyo Mantshule said: "The department condemns the beating of the pupil. Our policy does not allow corporal punishment. All team members apologised to the family and the matter was amicably resolved."
Police spokeswoman Colonel Adéle Myburgh confirmed: "We are investigating a case of common assault. A 16-year-old pupil was allegedly assaulted by six men at a high school."
No arrests have been made.
Moses Mdaka, Letlhabile taxi rank manager, distanced himself from the attackers.
"The people who did this are not part of my association," he said.
