Reported by eNCA Senior Reporter Dasen Thathiah
The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education has confirmed that the teacher recently accused of inappropriate conduct with a learner at Pitlochry Primary School had previously been implicated in a similar incident at another school.
Despite a suspension and forced departure from his former post, the educator was inexplicably appointed to a more senior role at Pitlochry Primary, raising serious concerns over the department’s vetting and redeployment processes.
Following a preliminary investigation, the department's Head of Department (HOD) has received a report on the latest allegations and is expected to decide on whether the teacher will be formally suspended.
According to departmental sources, the teacher has admitted to engaging in inappropriate conversations, which he described as an “error in judgment” during questioning by education officials.
Angry parents staged a protest outside the school gates Tuesday morning, demanding accountability and transparency. However, tensions escalated when the school principal refused to address them directly. Instead, a school representative informed the crowd that the teacher had been “told not to come to school” and had been moved to an administrative role earlier this month when the allegations came to light.
Meanwhile, the learner involved is receiving counselling, and education authorities are appealing to any other learners who may have had similar experiences to come forward.
The department has not yet clarified how the teacher was able to return to a public school setting with a promotion, despite his history.
The incident has reignited calls for stricter background checks and improved safeguarding policies in schools across the province.