UPDATE: Malalane community reels after allegations against teacher
The Malalane community has been shocked by the arrest last week of a well-known teacher.
MALALANE – The 56-year-old teacher at Laerskool Malelane was charged with sexual assault in the Tonga Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
He is alleged to have sexually assaulted eight grade seven learners – seven boys and a girl.
The community reacted with shock. Some said that teachers are supposed to protect our children.
Others argued that nobody can be pre-judged and the public should wait for all the facts to be obtained.
A statement issued by the school on Friday said the allegations came to light when a grade seven girl to told the school’s trauma counsellor about an incident. Similar incidents then came to light.
A school representative laid a charge with the police.
The school governing body (SGB) said it was doing everything in its power to support the parents and learners.
“As the SGB of a primary school and in the light of the level of violence against women and children in our society, we take incidents such as these very seriously.
“The SGB is doing everything in its power to support the parents and learners and will continue to ensure that they have the necessary support,” SGB chairman, Hess Radley, said in the statement.
She added that it was their purpose to prevent incidences of sexual offences from occurring at all.
“Our learners are also exposed to potential sexual abuse outside of school, and that is precisely why we have created the platform that enables learners to speak about any situation or incident about which they feel uncomfortable inside or outside of school.”
Tania Otto from Women and Men against Child Abuse said teachers and coaches showing kids porn was not unusual, nor was sexual assault.
She added that each case should be assessed individually. “There can come 20 charges from this.”
Otto said that showing minors pornography was illegal – and dangerous. “It is not innocent – there is usually a reason and it can be the start of grooming.”
Laerskool Malelane teacher charged with sexual assault, Oct 19, 11:28
MALALANE – A 56-year-old teacher of Laerskool Malelane has been charged with sexual assault.
He appeared in the Tonga Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.
He is alleged to have sexually assaulted eight grade seven learners – seven boys and a girl.
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A statement issued by the school on Friday says the allegations came to light when a grade seven girl told the school’s trauma councilor about an incident.
Similar incidents were then reported.
According to police spokesman, Brig Leonard Hlathi, the teacher had allegedly been violating the learners from March this year until he was exposed in September.
“He would allegedly call them over to his desk during class, show them pornographic videos as well as images and lure them individually to a storeroom to commit his evil deeds,” he said.
The suspect was arrested on Wednesday after a lengthy police investigation into the matter.
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He was granted R2 000 bail and is due to reappear on January 20.
The school informed the Department of Education, who suspended the man pending an internal investigation.
The school governing body said it was doing everything in its power to support the parents and learners.
