Gauteng MEC of Social Development, Nandi Mayathula-Khoza has taken a decision to shut down nursery school after the abuse scandal in Carletonville, and lay a complaint of neglect against it’s principle.

“We have decided to close down this early childhood development centre. I myself learnt about this situation today. I was sent a clip during a meeting and I was deeply disturbed by what I saw and that is why I decided to come here.

“Had I been informed a week ago or a year ago, I would have taken action there and then,” she told News24 in Carletonville on Thursday.

This comes after several videos went viral on social media showing one of the school’s caregivers physically abusing minor children.

Abuse 

In one of the videos, the employee can be seen repeatedly slapping a toddler. The motive for the attack is not known.

In another video, a young girl is forced to clean up after having vomited. The employee can be seen smacking the child on her buttocks.

In a third video, the employee slaps a toddler who appears not to want to sleep, News 24 earlier reported.

The 40-year-old nursery school employee, who has not been named, was arrested on March 26, and appeared in court on charges of assault two days later. She is due back in court on May 7 after she was released on R3000 bail.

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News24 was unable to get comment from the creche where the abuse allegedly happened, however, the principal told EWN that the videos that went viral were captured a year ago.

The principal was made aware of the videos last week after a person who filmed the events allegedly attempted to blackmail the school.

“A second practitioner sees a child being abused and she takes videos and keeps them for over a year. I think she must also be held accountable,” the MEC said in response to the allegations.

In addition, the creche in question was operating on an expired license, according to the MEC.

“This is an illegal entity in operation. When I asked for the creche’s certificate – I looked at it and it is a 2016 certificate. The principal should have complied and applied for a new certificate, but she did not do that,” the MEC explained.

As a result, the social development department is going to charge the principal with neglect as the children were under her care when the abuse took place.

Social workers are currently working on moving other minor children from this creche to other registered creches around the area, pending an investigation.

The MEC is not yet clear on whether the caregiver seen abusing children in the video, had the necessary qualifications to be looking after children.