Rape-accused teacher seeks bail

A 50-YEAR-OLD teacher accused of raping a 17-year-old former matric pupil from Mbilwi High School was remanded in custody by the Thohoyandou Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

The teacher, Makhuvha Solomon Ntshidzeni, will formally apply for bail at the same court next Monday.

He was arrested on Friday after the alleged victim opened a case last month, three years after she completed her matric at the school where the accused was employed.

Yesterday Pretoria News reported that the educator allegedly sexually assaulted a pupil a number of times in 2018 by luring her to a lodge ostensibly to offer her private lessons.

The incident has brought the school back into the spotlight after the case of Lufuno Mavhunga, who committed suicide following a video of her being assaulted by another pupil went viral.

The bullying incident drew public condemnation and highlighted cyberbullying and other bullying in schools.

Meanwhile, the South African Human Rights Commission in Limpopo will conduct provincial hearings into bullying, corporal punishment and sexual relationships between educators and pupils in Polokwane from today until Thursday.

Provincial chairperson Victor Mavhudula said:“Bullying in schools has reached concerning prevalence, highlighted by the recent tragic incident which unfolded at Mbilwi Secondary School where Lufuno ended up taking her life.”