Teacher had affair with boy

ELDERLY HUSBAND IN SHOCK

NORTH West department of education’s former executive regrets marrying a younger woman whom he says caused nothing but pain.

The man, 71, said he spent a night in jail after his 44year-old wife, a high school teacher in Mogwase near Rustenburg, reported him to the police for allegedly pointing a firearm at her.

This was after the man had apparently discovered her affair with one of her pupils in Grade 12.

The man did not return home after the matter was thrown out of court on Tuesday for lack of evidence because he is afraid he might be accused of something else.

“She might now say I raped her or something. I married her because I thought she was mature but now she made me sleep in jail like a criminal because of her feelings for a schoolboy,” he said.

The couple got married last year in March but had been in a relationship for 13 years. They have an 11 yearold daughter together and three other children from previous relationships.

He said the tension between them started after he discovered a guesthouse letter confirming a booking for a room on May 27 this year. Sowetan is in possession of the letter.

“I then confronted my wife and she confessed she was having an affair and that he was one of her pupils.”

The man said after this his wife went to the police station to report the pointing of firearm case. Police confiscated his gun.

On June 11, he and his wife then drove to the 21year-old pupil’s place as he wanted to confirm what his wife was telling him.

He said he forced the two to confess in writing that they were romantically involved and they did.

He showed the confession letter to Sowetan.

“I was shattered. I suspected she was cheating. I felt humiliated when I saw that she was actually having an affair with a boy the same age as my son,” he said.

He was later arrested for his wife’s case but, according to him, the charges were withdrawn this week.

National Prosecuting Authority’s North West spokesman Frank Lesenyego said the case was not placed on the court roll because of insufficient evidence.

“There was no proof that the accused had a gun during their fight as his gun had already been taken away from him by the police in May this year,” said Lesenyego.

“His wife was asked by the prosecutor whether the accused had another gun and she said no. So, the case was struck off the roll based on insufficient evidence.”

He said investigations, however, were continuing to check if the accused had another gun.

The elderly husband is now squatting at his cousin’s place as he is scared his wife might plot against him again.

The woman refused to speak to the paper when she was asked for comment, but the pupil confirmed that they wrote a letter confessing their love affair.

He said he only wrote the letter because he was scared.

“He was pointing us with a gun. I was forced to write that letter. She (teacher) is just kind to me. She gives me lift to school sometimes,” he said.

However, the man denied this. He said he did not even have his gun at the time and also questioned why the pupil did not lay criminal charges against him.

The man said he also reported the matter to the school principal.

North West education’s spokesman Elias Malindi said the affair was reported and investigations had started.

He said the teacher, who is believed to be depressed, took a leave from work.

“We have started the investigation and it will be continued after the teacher comes back to school,” Malindi said.

Asked about the general practice of teachers having affairs with pupils, he condemned the conduct.

“It is highly unacceptable, according to teachers’ employment act. The involvement of a teacher and a learner is viewed as a serious matter,” he said.

North West police spokeswoman Pelonomi Makau confirmed the man was arrested and charged with pointing of a firearm.

According to education legislation, sexual relations between a teacher and any learner at school are totally forbidden even if the learner consents to sex.

Teachers and school managers have legal and ethical duty to report such cases to the authorities.