Legal Aid SA, which represented the mother of a former grade nine Sans Souci Girls’ High School pupil filmed being slapped by a teacher, claims that preparations to approach the Western Cape High Court are at an advanced stage.

A R150 000 claim was lodged in the Equality Court against Clarissa Venter following the 2019 incident where a video showed the teacher slapping the pupil and the learner pushing a desk at the teacher.

A Cape Times report says Venter had taken the pupil’s phone away, which led to the argument.

The assault charges against the teacher were withdrawn in the same year in which the incident occurred and the damages claim was withdrawn in 2020, but Legal Aid SA wants to reinstate the matter.

Legal Aid SA’s Advocate Elroy Machelm said they still hold the mandate to pursue the case. 

‘We are at a relatively advanced stage of our preparations and we still intend to approach the Western Cape High Court, by way of the Equality Court.’ 

However Venter’s lawyer, William Booth, said that when the matter was set down for hearing the mother of the former pupil withdrew the case and the Equality Court did not have jurisdiction to hear it.

‘The mother gave no reason for her action and currently, there is no case against Venter. She has not been served with anything and it must also be highlighted the case had nothing to do with racism,’ Booth said.

Full Cape Times report