Speaking
during
a
Statement
of
National
Interest
in
the
Senate
on
Thursday,
June
12,
2025,
Senator
Mlotshwa,
who
resides
in
Mahetshe,
demanded
that
Home
Affairs
launch
a
transparent
investigation
and
make
sure
the
officers
involved
are
prosecuted
for
assault.
“Fellow
citizens,
I
stand
before
you
today
deeply
alarmed
by
the
recent
incident
at
Mahetshe
Primary
School
in
Maphisa,
where
police
officers
brutalised
innocent
children
during
what
was
supposed
to
be
a
crime
awareness
campaign,”
said
Mlotshwa.
“This
event
exposes
a
disturbing
pattern,
an
endemic
culture
of
violence
within
our
police
service
that
increasingly
disregards
the
rights
and
dignity
of
our
children.
It
is
unacceptable
that
toddlers
and
young
learners
are
subjected
to
torture
and
inhumane
treatment,
especially
in
a
nation
committed
to
protecting
its
most
vulnerable.”
The
assault
incident
at
Mahetshe
Primary
occurred
on
May
21,
2025,
when
a
routine
awareness
campaign
turned
violent
after
officers
from
the
Zimbabwe
Republic
Police
(ZRP)
reportedly
beat
several
children
in
response
to
a
range
of
alleged
misbehaviours.
According
to
CITE
investigations,
the
flashpoint
was
a
case
involving
a
pupil
who
allegedly
stole
US$20
from
a
teacher
vending
snacks
at
the
school.
In
response,
the
school’s
authorities
and
the
School
Development
Committee
(SDC)
allegedly
invited
the
police
to
collectively
discipline
so-called
“naughty”
learners.
However,
instead
of
conducting
an
educational
session,
the
officers
allegedly
unleashed
violence
on
the
pupils
in
full
view
of
school
staff,
without
informing
or
seeking
consent
from
parents.
“The
response
from
law
enforcement
has
been
dismissive,
attempting
to
sweep
this
matter
under
the
carpet
and
avoiding
accountability,”
said
Senator
Mlotshwa.
“I
call
upon
the
Minister
of
Home
Affairs
to
demand
immediate
action,
police
officers
involved
must
be
prosecuted
for
assault
and
a
transparent
investigation
must
be
conducted
without
delay.”
According
to
eyewitnesses
and
community
members,
children
were
beaten
for
alleged
infractions
such
as
“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
children
required
hospitalisation
following
the
ordeal
and
many
others
were
left
traumatised.
Senator
Mlotshwa
questioned
the
role
of
the
Ministry
of
Primary
and
Secondary
Education
in
allowing
such
abuse
to
occur.
“Moreover,
the
Ministry
of
Education
must
answer
how
police
entered
a
school
premises
and
brutalised
children
without
proper
authorisation
or
reporting
to
school
authorities,”
said
the
senator.
“We
must
also
hold
the
school
authorities
accountable
for
inviting
law
enforcement
into
a
space
meant
for
learning
and
development
without
safeguarding
our
children’s
welfare.
This
incident
is
a
wake-up
call;
we
must
reaffirm
our
commitment
to
children’s
rights
and
ensure
justice
prevails.
Our
nation’s
integrity
depends
on
it.”
The
Senate
President,
Mabel
Chinomona,
acknowledged
Senator
Mlotshwa’s
concerns
and
directed
the
relevant
ministers
to
urgently
look
into
the
matter.
The
community
in
Mahetshe
remains
outraged,
with
parents
and
guardians
demanding
justice
and
disciplinary
action
against
both
the
police
and
the
involved
school
authorities.
Civil
society
groups
have
also
weighed
in,
warning
that
such
unchecked
violence
undermines
public
trust
in
law
enforcement
and
the
education
system.