‘Sexual abuse of pupils must end’
Sace probes 191 sexual misconduct cases by teachers
A shocking report handed to basic education minister Angie Motshekga by the South African Council of Educators (Sace) has revealed the extent of sexual misconduct bedevilling schools countrywide.
The report paints a disturbing picture, revealing 191 cases of sexual misconduct involving teachers allegedly preying on pupils by soliciting sexual favours, including harassment and rape.
The acts of sexual misconduct perpetrated against pupils were heavily criticised by Sace.
Sace CEO Ella Mokgalane said the council was mandated to receive and process complaints of unprofessional conduct levelled against educators. “Sace is extremely concerned with the rise in the number of cases of unprofessional conduct reported to it daily. It is our wish as the council that these unprofessional acts come to a halt with immediate effect, ” said Mokgalane.
“All educators found guilty of sexual abuse have been indefinitely removed from the register of educators.”
According to the report, which Sunday World has seen, 1327 cases of misconduct were recorded during the 2021/2022 financial year.
Sace stated that 614 investigations were conducted, whereby in 86 cases, disciplinary hearings were held. Nineteen teachers were struck off the roll of educators following disciplinary hearings, while five other teachers were suspended.
Only five cases were withdrawn against teachers.
Reported cases in which teachers had to face hearings included corporal punishment, which saw the highest number of cases recorded, at 248. Mokgalane said her organisation was concerned corporal punishment was still being meted out despite having been abolished since the dawn of our democratic dispensation. “Sace appeals and will continue to appeal to educators to stop violating the rights of learners,” she said.
Other cases include verbal abuse and intimidation(127), while cases of fraud and theft committed by the teachers stood at 75. Forty-four cases related to alcoholism were recorded, while racism cases reported stood at 10 incidents, including two cases of murder threats.
A teacher was this week remanded in custody after being accused of sexually violating 21 boy pupils in Lusikisiki in the Eastern Cape. The 35-year-old teacher is facing 15 counts of sexual assault and nine counts of exposing children to pornography, including allegedly forcing them to masturbate and collecting their semen.