SA recorded over 120 cases of sexual abuse of learners by teachers in 2019: SACE

The South African Council of Educators (SACE) says in 2019 South Africa recorded 209 cases of corporal punishment and 122 cases of sexual abuse of learners by teachers.

SACE representative George Moroasui was addressing the South African Human Rights Commission’s hearing into bullying, corporal punishment and sexual relationships between educators and learners in Polokwane.

The hearings on corporal punishment and sexual relationships between teachers and learners come after a bullying incident at Mbilwi high school in Thohoyandou a few weeks ago. The incident led to a grade 10 learner Lufuno Mavhunga taking her life.

She committed suicide after a video showing her being assaulted by a fellow learner went viral on social media.

Moroasui says SACE still finds it difficult to get information from the Department of Education of teachers practicing corporal punishment and those who have previous cases of sexual relationships with learners against them.

He says at times school management and school governing bodies hide such cases instead of reporting them to the police.

“If an educator can be found guilty for instances of sexual abuse. The only sanction that the council can impose is none other than the removal of that educator from the register, if your name is removed from the register of educators it means that you cannot teach anywhere in the country and outside the country. So your name also gets submitted to the Department of Social Development to be included in a register declared unfit to work with children.”

South African Human Rights Commission Live 2021: 

SAHRC hearing on bullying and sex between educators and learners Day 2:

Meanwhile, SAHRC manager in Limpopo, Victor Mavhidula says delegates at the hearing mostly blamed the department of education for not doing much in fighting bullying and sexual harassment at schools.

“Fingers are being pointed in the same direction, department of education. And we feel that that is the right direction because if the department of education is unable to implement its own policy or does not want to carry out what is being mandated by the legislation it means that no other stakeholder will be able to do anything. These cases will increase from time to time because the department is supposed to take the lead.”

SAHRC hearing on bullying and sexual relationships between educators and learners Day 3: