Students' romp videotaped

By NONDUMISO MBUYAZI

Two KwaZulu-Natal high school pupils have been suspended after cellphone video footage showing them having sex inside a school toilet emerged.

The video was circulated among pupils and eventually sent to a teacher's cellphone.

The Grade 12 boy and the Grade 10 girl, of Tongaat Secondary School, were suspended after the footage - allegedly shot by one of the boy's friends - was shown to the principal. The girl had no knowledge that she was being filmed.

One pupil said: "Kids in our school have sex in the toilet all the time and it's not only our school because I know of other pupils at different schools who also have sex in the toilet once in a while."

The pupils are to appear before the school's tribunal where disciplinary action will be taken.

Department of education spokesperson Mbali Thusi confirmed and condemned the incident.

Last year a student at the University of Zululand committed suicide after a cellphone video of her and her boyfriend having sex was circulated.

Meanwhile, 13 pregnant pupils of Mzuvele High School at KwaMasha were suspended this week. Most of them are in matric.

The principal, Mondli Shangase, apparently said he was giving them two years' maternity leave. Shangase has denied expelling the pupils.

Congress of South African Students (Cosas) spokesperson Isaac Luthuli said: "Everyone has a right to education, paralysed or pregnant."

• This article was originally published on page 3 of The Pretoria News on May 10, 2008