https://cite.org.zw/outrage-in-maphisa-as-police-brutalise-learners-during-crime-awareness-drive/. What was supposed to be a crime awareness campaign at Mahetshe Primary School in Maphisa, Matabeleland South, turned into an episode of brutality after police officers reportedly beat several children over several offences, leaving some injured and traumatised. The incident, which took place on Wednesday, 21 May 2025, has sparked widespread anger among parents, guardians and community members, who are demanding accountability from both the school and law enforcement, as they are calling for an investigation with potential legal consequences. According to multiple eyewitness accounts, parents and officials interviewed by CITE, the learners were subjected to unlawful corporal punishment at the hands of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) in full view of school staff and without parental consent or prior notification. The learners were assaulted for alleged misbehaviour that included “dating, engaging in sexual intercourse, touching each other’s buttocks, stealing packed lunch, bullying, failing to deliver floor polish and civvies money meant for school use.” Some of the children were later taken to the hospital for medical treatment. The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has confirmed a joint investigation by the Provincial Education Directorate and the ZRP, claiming it will train schools on lawful alternatives for behaviour management. According to our investigations, school authorities at Mahetshe invited police as part of a crime awareness initiative, however, locals say what ensued was far from educational. Community members had gathered just outside Mahetshe Primary for a water committee meeting with their village head, Shakespeare Ndlovu, when a police Mahindra vehicle drove past and entered the school grounds. Within minutes, distressing cries were heard coming from inside the school. “We heard slaps, beating and cries of children. As parents, we decided to go inside the school to check. The children were crying a lot,” said Ward 20 Councillor Sanelisiwe Mhlophe, who was present at the water committee meeting and also has a child in ECD B at the school. “We saw three police officers. One, a female police officer (Madlabuzela) who works at Maphisa Police Station. The second (Ndlovu) was in plain clothes. I don’t know the name of the other police officer but these two were Shona.” Mhlophe said the police did not alert the parents or the community about their purpose, despite passing by their stakeholders’ meeting taking place just outside the school. “One man, Dingindlela Ncube, ran ahead and stopped a police officer who was beating a child mercilessly. Parents questioned why this was happening and why no prior communication had been made if this was a campaign as they had passed us by the gate yet said nothing.” The councillor and other witnesses described children being struck with large canes, lifted by the ears and slapped by the police. Even learners in Early Childhood Development (ECD) classes were allegedly not spared. Notably, the school headmistress, Sibusiso Moyo, was reportedly absent due to illness leaving Deputy Head Sibonginkosi Ncube in charge. However, other teachers and the vice School Development Committee (SDC) chairperson were present and failed to intervene. “I saw more than 20 canes, which were not adjusted for the children’s ages,” said the councillor, who said community members started taking videos of the ordeal. “The teachers stood by and watched, including members of the SDC. We questioned them why they had not first told parents that children were naughty at school instead of calling the police.” According to community members, the deputy headmaster confirmed the school had called the police in response to ongoing behavioural concerns. CITE discovered the flashpoint appears to have been a case involving a pupil who allegedly stole US$20 from a teacher who sells snacks at the school. The school and the SDC reportedly decided to call the police to reprimand all “naughty” learners collectively at a crime awareness session, after the parent of the boy who had stolen the money said she would take him to the police for discipline. “The deputy headmistress admitted that the school called the police because there was a boy who stole $20 from Mrs Siyamunda, who was selling sweets and snacks (jiggies) using the schoolchildren, then one of them stole money from her,” said the councillor. “The school said they had spoken to the parents of the child who had stolen the money, and the parent said she would take her child to be disciplined by the police, but the school and SDC said rather than doing that, the school will engage police to come and reprimand the children collectively.” However, that “awareness” resulted in the physical punishment of an undisclosed number of students, ranging from ECD to Grade 7. Parents also confirmed they received no prior warning or consent request from the school, while the reasons given as to why their children were beaten were unclear. Medical reports Medical reports Medical reports One parent said her child had an existing ear condition, yet was picked up by the ears and slapped. Another said her child in Grade 7 was beaten about 15 times on the buttocks and had to go to hospital. An elderly woman added, “My grandchild in Grade 7 was also beaten. When the child came home, they said their head was painful but we didn’t take them to hospital.” Some locals refused to use the term “beating” and instead described the children’s treatment as “torture.” Others were horrified at accusations that primary school children were engaging in sexual activity or how easily the authorities labelled minor pupils as sexual delinquents without first speaking to them as parents or guardians. “Why did they not inform the parents or guardians, even social workers, instead of using such unlawful means?” one villager asked, while another also asked, if the school had exhausted all its disciplinary measures. On 30 May 2025, a community meeting was convened by the village head – Ndlovu – to address the incident. However, police representatives, education officials and school authorities failed to attend, further frustrating the villagers. Only two SDC members were present. On 2 June 2025, parents were summoned to a follow-up meeting at the Kezi Police Station. Some were picked up in the same Mahindra vehicle used during the campaign, while others made their way there independently. Although the meeting was attended by the village head, he declined to comment, citing instructions from Chief Fuyane not to speak on the matter until it is resolved. There is growing pressure from the Maphisa community for a thorough investigation and consequences for those involved, with some calling for the transfer of school authorities who invited the police and the redeployment of the officers involved. The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education confirmed the incident and stated that corporal punishment is prohibited under Section 81 of the Constitution and the Education Amendment Act of 2020. “We are aware of the incident at Mahetshe Primary School on 21 May 2025,” said Taungana Ndoro, Director of Communications and Advocacy in the Ministry. Ndoro confirmed police were invited to conduct a crime awareness campaign focusing on drug abuse, bullying, and sexual harassment following “repeated, documented failures by the school to address severe misconduct through internal mechanisms (guidance counselling, parental engagement.” “While the school’s intent to curb criminal behaviour is understood, the Ministry is investigating allegations of instruction for corporal punishment,” he said, stressing that under Zimbabwean law, corporal punishment is unequivocally prohibited. “The Ministry is investigating allegations of instruction for corporal punishment since it is unequivocally prohibited under Section 81 of the Zimbabwean Constitution and the Education Amendment Act (2020).” Ndoro said schools may collaborate with police for educational interventions such as awareness campaigns but “never” for administering corporal punishment. “Police are authorised to act only in cases of criminal conduct (theft, assault) under standard law enforcement protocols, not as agents of school disciplinary measures,” he said. “In terms of Constitutional Adherence, no entity – school or police – is authorised to use corporal punishment. Ndoro confirmed a joint “transparent” investigation by the Provincial Education Directorate and the ZRP provincial administration. “Parents and community leaders will be engaged to ensure accountability. Going forward, the Ministry will train schools on lawful alternatives for behaviour management,” Ndoro said. “This incident underscores the need for collaborative, rights-based approaches to school safety. We reaffirm that no child’s dignity is negotiable. The Ministry and ZRP share a unified commitment to Section 19 of the Constitution and as such the best interests of the child are paramount.” When contacted for comment, at first the then Matabeleland South Acting Police Spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Stanford Mguni, seemed dismissive. “Who said the matter is unsettling, who told you about it?” Mguni said. “We didn’t hear this matter the way you were told. What I know is police went to a campaign and addressed issues of child delinquency. There were consultations between the parents and the involved children.” Mguni questioned the legitimacy of the sources, demanding that they identify themselves. “If this is a parent who says they are still aggrieved, we don’t have this person in our records. We can only comment on matters that are reported to us,” he added. He further stated: “I don’t think the issue we are talking about can escalate to reach the media so that it needs a police comment.” He maintained that crime awareness campaigns were conducted with transparency and any grievances should be reported directly to police or community leadership. “To correct this so that it doesn’t repeat, since I don’t have that concern, people can report to any nearest police station, there is an officer in charge and say their concerns as a community. What we know is when there are campaigns for drugs and child delinquency, we always involve parents, school authorities because at the end of the day all of us want to educate children,” Mguni said. As the interview ensued, Mguni acknowledged the community’s concerns and stressed the need for openness and cooperation in resolving the matter. “We are concerned by children’s behaviour and harm that comes to children by those who sell drugs to them. At times we see children drunk yet it’s caused by adults who sell drugs to them, even if there are differences we handle them as a team,” he said. “When someone from the team raises concerns, they have to come out clear, say, ‘I as a concerned citizen in the community, representing the community or standing on behalf of a neighbour or my child’…then we know because we do not go around commenting on issues involving children everywhere. They are children, we have to give them a chance to grow.” Mguni said police cannot work without the community. “If there are issues that go wrong in the community, we try to address those issues as early as possible so that we move forward because crime affects everyone,” he said. “Even when we have a dispute, we are affected by crime. So we need to continue in partnership with the community, moving forward against any diversity, fixing our problems going forward. That’s why I am saying this issue has to come out clearly so that those who are solving it don’t seem to be hiding it because it will remain a painful boil.” The provincial police spokesperson added community leaders must be proactive in voicing their dissatisfaction clearly and publicly. “For instance, the village head has to be clear and say, ‘Police, I am not happy with this,’ telling us before other witnesses so that when we address that, people know what we are doing.” Mguni also acknowledged some community members may feel left out of official proceedings or unresolved in their concerns, prompting them to turn to the media. “Even as that may be, there are others who are not satisfied and just agree seeing others agree, but are unsatisfied, then come to the media,” Mguni said. “And when they come to you, they must be clear, because it’s now a matter that has to be told to the public. We are not all about misinforming people. So when we are now reporting this, it must be clear where the matter is coming from. If you write this, it will involve a lot of senior people who will come to investigate on the ground and should know who they are going to because of their concerns.” Human rights advocates also strongly condemned the Mahetshe incident, citing Zimbabwe’s Constitution and the Education Amendment Act (2020), which not only banned corporal punishment but also constitutes a violation of a child’s right to dignity and protection from inhumane treatment. “I think this security state called Zimbabwe, which is run by the police and the army is a very sad state because it does not respect human rights,” said Dr Vusumuzi Sibanda, a human rights lawyer. “In this day and age where the rights of the child or the children’s rights are of great importance and they should be protected by all sectors of life, we cannot be talking about a situation where police just go out and begin thrashing children because it’s not just about the mere issue of punishing them. Police have no right to be beating a child or anything even during their awareness, whatever the case might be.” Dr Sibanda said the police officers’ conduct showed a lack of ethical grounding and urged the relevant authorities to dismiss those involved. “It speaks to the morals that Zimbabwe has. Because these police must not only be dismissed from work, but they must be prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” said the human rights advocate. “Unfortunately, this will not happen because these police are used to doing it and they do it, with great impunity because they are part of the government and the state which is abusive to people ordinarily, which tortures and kills people. So this is just an extension of what is happening and that is unknown.” Dr Sibanda added it was unfortunate for the police that this matter came out into the open and is now known, which warranted a thorough introspection into Zimbabwe’s governance as well. “Something needs to be looked at when we talk about sanctions. We need to be sanctioned by all countries, especially in terms of how Zimbabwe deals with human rights and the abuse of people, not to have countries that continue to support it,” he said. “It’s not an issue of Zimbabwe being sanctioned in this kind of behaviour by Western countries, but it should be sanctioned by African states themselves, particularly South Africa that so much respects the rights of children.” Community members want these police officers to face disciplinary action. “What the police did is wrong. This cannot be swept under the rug,” said the Ward 20 PR Councillor Feluna Ncube. “Children now fear the police, even my grandchild in ECD was afraid to go to school after seeing the beatings, although they were not beaten.” When others look away, we dig deeper. From ZPRA history to local corruption, CITE tells the stories that matter. Keep our journalism independent. Donate here: *https://cite.org.zw/support-local-news/*