Cape Town - The conduct of learners and parents from Bishops Diocesan College and Rondebosch Boys’ High School came under scrutiny in the Western Cape High Court yesterday amid an ongoing civil trial involving a R645 000 damages claim.
This follows a gruesome water polo attack by Bishops learner Bingo Ivanisevic which left Rondebosch learner Ross Stone with extensive injuries to his mouth and face in February 2018.
In court on Wednesday, Judge Judith Cloete expressed her shock and disgust at the behaviour of learners and their parents at sports matches.
During testimony by Bishops tutor Angus Firth, Ivanisevic received a glowing character reference.
Firth revealed that Ivanisevic had moved from Rondebosch Boys’ to Bishops, and was goaded by Rondebosch learners at sports matches.
He explained that Ivanisevic, who stayed at the prestigious Mallet House, was respectful and a dedicated athlete who also mentored younger learners.
During cross-examination, advocate Paul Eia noted that Ivanisevic had received two red cards at matches prior to the incident, and questioned what action Bishops took against him. Firth said he was not sure.
Judge Cloete had several questions after Firth’s testimony, where she highlighted the “obvious tensions” between learners and parents at the two schools.
She said previous witnesses revealed that at sports matches between the two schools, Rondebosch Boys’ learners often hissed at Bishops learners on arrival.
Judge Cloete further expressed her shock as she cited previous witnesses’ testimony that Bishops learners attending water polo matches would throw coins into the swimming pool as the teams of Rondebosch Boys arrived, followed by comments such as “your mother works for my father”.
“When Mr Simpson testified, he gave some evidence, and I am just using my own words, where he talked about this hissing that Bingo had been subjected to from Rondebosch Boys.
“I ask him, but doesn’t he find that problematic that kids, particularly privileged kids, appears to be acceptable.
“He said that it was what happens and he also mentioned that the Bishops kids throw coins into the water and they say things like ‘your mother works for my father’.
“There is a context to it. “Here is Bingo when he moves from Rondebosch to Bishops, he said, perhaps understandably, that they goaded him. What is the policy? It’s an open secret that nobody does anything about it.
“What about respect for someone’s choice?
“What about sportsmanship in the true sense of the word?”
Judge Cloete said from the evidence before her, that she had come to learn that the offensive behaviour was not restricted to just the learners but that parents also joined in.
As Firth agreed that these activities were commonplace, he told the court that it was as a result of the “culture” at the schools, but an adamant Judge Cloete questioned why this behaviour was considered acceptable and allowed to persist.
He further said that the schools had tried to address it over the years.
Graphic images provided by Stone’s legal team show the bloodied teen who underwent surgery after his teeth were bashed into his gums, a bone cracked in his mouth, and one of his teeth was retrieved from the bottom of the swimming pool.
In his claim, Stone’s legal team submitted a breakdown which included medical expenses incurred as a result of the attack, future medical expenses and general damages amounting to just over R645 000.
Stone has called on the courts to find both Ivanisevic and Bishops liable.
Bishops, in turn, has called on the court to hold only Ivanisevic liable.
The trial continues.