Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2007. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Sunday Times (Johannesburg) - July 22, 2007
Teneshia Naidoo
Police are also investigating a case of assault against a parent who allegedly hit a pupil after a child was stuck with a needle.
In the second incident, a boy who was poked with one of the needles is awaiting the results of an HIV test.
SAPS spokesman Superintendent Muzi Mngomezulu confirmed that the parent of a boy who had picked up two boxes of needles had laid a complaint of assault against a neighbour.
Mngomezulu said police were following leads to determine how the needles landed outside Clairwood Boys' Primary School.
Bin bags containing the sealed and unsealed expired needles were dumped in an alley near the school on three occasions this week.
On Wednesday, council health officials were summoned by the school to remove the needles.
Deputy principal Tayob Hamode said: "It is outrageous that someone would discard these needles here when they know kids are around.
"We were shocked after the first dumping, frustrated after the second incident, but now we are furious that this is still going on.
"It seems that some company was paid to incinerate the needles and just decided to pocket the money and dump them in the alley."
The mother of a Clairwood pupil said: "I am so angry that the needles were at the school. I can't understand why someone would leave them there for innocent, young children to find."
An HIV test was conducted on one of the boys pricked with a needle.
The initial report was negative, but health workers have advised his parents to wait for the window period to confirm the results.
Megnath Pravin, who runs Kamy's Pharmaceutical Company, which is located near the school, said: "Initially the school approached our company, thinking that the needles belonged to us.
"We have assured them that the needles don't belong to us."
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