A 20-year-old deaf matric pupil from Tzaneen in Limpopo could miss her preliminary examinations after her hearing aids were damaged during Spring Day celebrations.
Mpho Mhlanga was reportedly walking home from school when a group of children from her neighbourhood splashed her with water. The incident, which may have appeared to the children as harmless fun, left both of Mpho’s hearing aids damaged.
The damage has had serious consequences for the Grade 12 learner, who relies on the devices to hear properly. Without them, she has struggled to attend school at a time when matric pupils are preparing for some of the most important examinations of the year.
According to her father, Alfred Mhlanga, the hearing aids began making unusual noises after Mpho arrived home. The family attempted to dry and recharge the devices, hoping they would start working again, but their efforts were unsuccessful.
Mhlanga, who is unemployed, said the family cannot afford the estimated R8,000 needed to replace the hearing aids privately. He also explained that obtaining replacement devices through a public hospital could take as long as six months.
The situation has left the family deeply concerned about Mpho’s education and future.
“She’s devastated,” her father said, explaining that while her classmates were attending revision sessions, his daughter had been forced to remain at home because she could not hear without her hearing aids.
Mpho was diagnosed with deafness in Grade 4 and reportedly repeated that grade twice. Despite the challenges she has faced throughout her schooling career, she has continued working towards completing Grade 12.
Her father now fears that all her hard work could be affected by an incident that was allegedly treated by the children involved as simple play.
## Family Considers Legal Action
Mhlanga said he is uncertain whether to open a criminal case because the children involved are neighbours and are people his daughter normally interacts with.
He said the children’s parents apologised and reportedly explained that the youngsters had only been playing. However, legal expert Andiswa Tube, director at Tube Attorneys in Pretoria, said that explanation does not necessarily settle the matter.
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Tube said the family has the right to open a criminal case over the alleged damage to Mpho’s hearing aids and any other property that may have been damaged.
She also advised the family to approach the departments of Health and Education for assistance, particularly because the immediate priority is helping Mpho return to school and continue with her examinations.
According to Tube, the family could also explore a civil claim against the parents of the children involved.
## Spring Day Celebrations Spark Concern
Mpho’s ordeal comes amid several troubling incidents reportedly linked to Spring Day water-splashing activities.
Videos circulating on social media have shown children splashing passing vehicles and delivery riders, with some motorists forced to swerve to avoid them. There have also been reports of theft, intimidation, bullying and assault.
In Refilwe, Cullinan, 21-year-old Tshepang Nyathi was fatally stabbed following an alleged confrontation after a man was splashed with water.
Tshenolo Private Investigations said several criminal cases had been registered in connection with Spring Day incidents, highlighting growing concerns over behaviour that can quickly turn dangerous.
Mpho’s case has therefore raised a broader question about where harmless celebration ends and reckless behaviour begins. For her family, however, the immediate concern remains simple: finding a way to replace her hearing aids so she can return to school and have the opportunity to complete her matric year.
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