Durban - Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga says statistics from the SA Council of Educators (Sace) indicate that 191 cases of sexual misconduct against educators were reported to the body nationally in the 2021/22 financial year.
Motshekga was responding to a written parliamentary question asked by the DA. She said the 191 cases were an increase from 169 cases reported in the 2020/21 financial year.
Teachers’ unions and the National Association of School Governing Bodies (NASGB) expressed concern about the rise in cases yesterday.
DA spokesperson on education, Desiree van der Walt, who asked the parliamentary question, said the number of cases of sexual misconduct reported to Sace appeared to have risen sharply in the past few years, from from 92 in 2019/20 to 191 in 2021/22.
“Given the 199 school days last year, that’s almost one case of sexual misconduct a day reported to Sace.
“The DA finds it very concerning that Sace only instituted 23 disciplinary proceedings last year – a mere 12% of the reported cases of sexual misconduct. Of these, 19 educators were found guilty of sexual misconduct, yet only four were struck off the roll indefinitely.”
Van der Walt added that Sace indicated that some cases were closed due to lack of evidence. “Other instances were the unavailability of complainants to assist with the investigation/ disciplinary proceedings, and witnesses refusing to co-operate with the council.”
SA Democratic Teachers Union KwaZulu-Natal secretary Nomarashiya Caluza said the union was aware of the stats. “It is shocking to see these numbers. Teachers are supposed to behave like parents to pupils. This tarnishes the image of teachers. These incidents must be dealt with, with the appropriate action.”
Caluza added that Sadtu this kind of behaviour.
“We will not tolerate this type of behaviour with any educator. We engage with our members to ensure that these kinds of incidents don’t happen. We would also like to see more from the Department of Education to ensure that new teachers condemned understand the code of ethics and their role as educators.”
National Teachers Union (Natu) president Sibusiso Malinga condemned the cases. “We can’t allow our children to be molested at institutions of learning. We call upon the law to take its course. Those teachers who are responsible for these incidents must be expelled. They also should be prosecuted with the full might of the law.”
National Professional Teachers Organisation of SA (Naptosa) provincial CEO Thirona Moodley said the rise of sexual abuse in schools was of great concern to the union.
“Hard examples must be set, whether it’s educators, fellow pupils or members of the community. Sace has mandatory sanctions and they must be implemented to send out a strong message to other possible perpetrators that it is a zero tolerance offence, and we will not tolerate any form of abuse at schools.”
Moodley said Naptosa believed that pupils must feel free to report these matters. “We need to create an open dialogue with pupils so they can speak freely about abuse so those responsible for abusing pupils can be held accountable.”
National Association of School Governing Bodies general secretary Matakanya Matakanye also condemned the incidents. “The Department of Education should be doing more to monitor schools and ensure incidents like these don’t happen. We call on parents and community members to ensure that abuse of our children is stopped,” Matakanye said.