Sentencing of Rex for boys’ abuse on hold

The pre-sentencing proceedings of former Parktown Boys High water polo coach, Collan Rex, were postponed yesterday due to an outstanding report.

During proceedings at the High Court in Johannesburg sitting at the Palm Ridge Magistrate’s Court, state prosecutor Arveena Persad told Judge Peet Johnson that the pre-sentencing report was not ready.

He added that it would only be available at the earliest on October 31, but this still needed to be confirmed.

Rex, who turns 23 on Saturday, has been found guilty of 12 counts of assault and 144 of sexual assault involving boys between the ages of 13 and 16, between 2015 and 2016.

Meanwhile, a group of mothers released a statement calling on the minister of education, captains of education and all men to rise up against the abuse of young boys.

The statement said that the boys were enrolled at an all boys school in the hope they would be developed into well-rounded gentlemen who would be pillars of society.

“Instead, what is becoming increasingly clear through the investigation into Parktown Boys High and similar reported incidents in other boys schools, something other than this is taking place,” the mothers said.

“What is actually taking place is nothing short of an abomination.”

They said boys were being broken into submission and groomed by paedophiles which disrupted their normal sexual development.

“In short, these institutions are moulding our boys into one of two things, either snakes in suits or broken dysfunctional boys.”

“As the mothers, we say not another boy. We call on all the mothers of this nation to join hands and stop this abomination and force change for good in these institutions.”

The matter was postponed to today. – ANA