Sexual abuse at Parktown: parents act

PARKTOWN Boys’ High and the Gauteng Department of Education have been accused of failing to protect dozens of pupils who have come forward with allegations of sexual abuse at the hands of an assistant water polo coach.

Now a group of teachers at the school are under investigation by the department for their alleged secondary victimisation of the pupils.

A group of parents accused the teachers of making light of the sexual scandal during classes, making inappropriate comments to victims and perpetuating a “culture of silence” that prevented other teenagers from coming forward.

Last year, it was revealed that at least 20 pupils had been abused by the coach during his tenure, although the number is understood to have grown significantly since then.

While the coach’s criminal trial is set down for the middle of this year, parents at the school, including parents of some of the victims, have revealed how they have been fighting with the school’s administration to investigate the teachers’ conduct since the last few months of 2016.

The parents said the school had perpetuated a culture of silence since news stories emerged in 2009 of violent Grade 11 initiations.

When the school failed to act on the initial complaints, the department was contacted in August, according to the parents. Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi was contacted directly.

Department spokesperson Steve Mabona said yesterday that a probe had been initiated.