Local teachers suspended for ‘romances’

Four teachers from Guzana Secondary School in Shayamoya were suspended last Monday for allegedly being romantically involved with their pupils.

This came in the middle of National Child Protection Week, co-inciding with shocking news from the Thuthuzela Care Centre in KwaDukuza that close to 40 rape cases – with about ten cases involving children – are being reported monthly.

Also read: Groutville school pupils say “no” to abuse

Umhlali SAPS captain Vinny Pillay said the police were called to Guzana school after a group of parents protested at the school gate, preventing the accused teachers from entering the premises.

“No cases of sexual abuse were opened at the police station but we were informed that there was trouble at the school that could have become violent.

“One of the parents told us they were upset after they discovered that teachers were in romantic relationships with pupils.”

It is alleged that pupils reported the problem to the principal after certain female pupils were favoured by the male teachers.

The matter was handed over to the education department and the teachers were suspended.

The high school that officially opened in 2014 is attended mostly by pupils from the Shayamoya and Nkobongo township and is plagued by teenage pregnancies.

Shayamoya councillor John Phahla said the teachers who were accused of inappropriate relationships should not be allowed to work with children.

“They should be taken off the education department’s payroll. This country does not allow for teachers to be involved in sexual relationships with children and that law should be respected.”

Media liaison officer in the office of the MEC for Education in KwaZulu-Natal, Kwazi Mthethwa, said the department stands firm in wanting to eradicate sexual misconduct in KZN schools including Guzana Secondary school.

“Learner-educator sexual relationships is a no go area. Any teacher to be found to have been sexually involved with a learner will face the full might of the law because such behaviour is barbaric and unacceptable in our schools.”

In Groutville last Wednesday, pupils and teachers of Aldenville Primary School took to the R102 to display anti-abuse posters.

Despite the countless campaigns encouraging people to stop abusing women and children, the Ilembe region is facing a high number of children and women abuse cases.

Mzwandile Ndlovu of the Thuthuzela Care Centre in KwaDukuza said reports of rape and child abuse mostly came from informal settlements, farms and the townships.

“The particularly sad part about these cases is when a child is raped, it is usually a family member or a close family friend who abused the child.

“We had cases of children from the age of two being raped by the people they trust. It is not only the girls who get raped, even the boys get sexually abused,” said Ndlovu.

KwaDukuza Child Welfare Society manager, Karnegie Govender said there is a lot of work to be done to ensure that children are not abused.

“We deal with about ten abused children a week, but neglect and sexual abuse are the most common. This is usually caused by drug addiction and poverty.”

Ndlovu said it is very important for parents to always check on their children and know their daily routines.

“As soon as a child starts changing his or her daily routine, you must know that there is something wrong. I always say that a child must be taught to speak to his or her parent about anything.

“Pay attention to what they say or do because a three-year-old child might not be able to tell you what had happened but you can tell by the things that he or she does,” said Ndlovu.

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