A 53-year-old teacher from Limpopo, accused of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old Grade 7 learner at a school near Tzaneen, is set to apply for bail today at the Bolobedu Magistrate’s Court.
The teacher was arrested last week after the learner’s mother found explicit text messages on her daughter’s phone. The mother alleges that the teacher attempted to buy her daughter's silence with a R50 bribe.
“This is heartbreaking. I sent my child to school to learn, but instead, she was turned into a wife by the teacher. I can't stop thinking about what could have happened—my daughter could have been killed because she was all alone,” the mother expressed.
Limpopo police spokesperson Hlulani Mashaba confirmed the arrest, stating, “The police in Mopani arrested a 53-year-old teacher on the 12th of August 2024. Preliminary reports indicate the incident occurred on the 4th of August 2024. The suspect briefly appeared in the Bolobedu Magistrate’s Court on the 14th of August 2024, with the case postponed to the 22nd of August 2024 for further investigations and a bail hearing.”
In response to the incident, the South African Council of Educators (SACE) emphasized its commitment to eradicating sexual misconduct in schools. SACE spokesperson Risuna Nkuna revealed, “A total of 31 educators have been permanently removed from the profession for sexual assault against learners, according to the audited annual report for the 2022/2023 financial year. These teachers will no longer be able to teach at any school.”
