Four teachers resign over claims of sexual abuse and racism

GAUTENG Department of Education (GDE) MEC Panyaza Lesufi has revealed that four teachers at Parktown Boys High School have resigned after being accused of misconduct, while another two will be transferred to the district office pending investigations against them.

Independent Media has seen the complaint that led to one of the four teachers’ resignation, showing he allegedly pushed a pupil and called him a “black bastard”.

The announcement comes as more than 20 concerned parents are set to launch a High Court application to force the department to take further action against other teachers at the school.

The school has been at the centre of a series of investigations following the alleged sexual abuse of at least 30 pupils. Following the arrest of a water polo coach accused of the molestation, a wave of allegations emerged against at least nine other teachers at the school. These included accusations of secondary victimisation of pupils assaulted by the water polo coach, physical and sexual abuse, as well as discouraging pupils from coming forward.

The GDE initially brought in law firm Fasken Martineau to perform an investigation into the nine teachers’ conduct, though the report could only find evidence against four of the teachers. However, yesterday, Lesufi told the media that six teachers were implicated, and four of them – employed by the School Governing Body (SGB) – had already resigned.

The remaining two teachers employed by the GDE would be transferred to district offices.

He said the teachers’ presence on campus could undermine the investigation if pupils felt wary of speaking out in fear of secondary victimisation. However, the probe had been scuppered by parents of the victims of secondary victimisation who have been unwilling to allow investigators to speak to their children as part of a new investigation.

Lesufi said a new law firm had been hired by his department to review the Fasken investigation and to look into new evidence.