Limpopo teacher evades sex misconduct probe after four alleged relationships with pupils

Masoka Dube

By Masoka Dube

Journalist


Limpopo department said it hasn't found "facts around the allegations and are therefore unable to take any steps.”


Community leaders are calling on the authorities to continue probing sexual misconduct allegations against a Limpopo teacher.

A 53-year-old teacher from Zivuko Secondary School in Nkowankowa in Tzaneen is accused of impregnating a Grade 11 pupil and conducting sexual relationships with four pupils.

The scandal came to light after the teacher confessed to community leaders and asked for forgiveness.

ALSO READ: 7 426 teenagers attempted suicide in 9 months: DBE launches prevention campaign

CPF calls for teacher’s reinvestigation into alleged sex misconduct

Lord Ndlovu, a senior member of the local Community Policing Forum, said he called on authorities to continue investigating.

“The allegations surfaced for the first time last November and we confronted the teacher who promised not to do it again.

“The involved pupils said the teacher was in sexual relationships with four pupils from the school.

“Last week, I heard he was doing it again. This time the police and the department must deal with it,” said Ndlovu.

Elizabeth Shingange, from the Elizabeth Home Foundation, said: “We were told that the department claims to have investigated the matter within 24 hours and we are not happy with that.

“They must conduct a proper investigation and provide feedback. We, as the community, know that this problem exists but the department is denying that.”

ALSO READ: Gauteng health clarifies its plans to provide 12-year-old girls with contraceptive implants

Teacher’s wife seeks refuge at police station after allegedly reporting misconduct

A source close to the situation said the teacher’s wife has sought refuge at a police station after some residents accused her of exposing him.

The Citizen has seen some of the WhatsApp conversations in which the teacher told a 17-year-old pupil to open a bank account so he could send R500 to buy her child some clothes.

The source said the teacher’s wife found WhatsApp text conversations between the teacher and the female pupils.

“The wife has been hiding at the police station because people told the teacher that she reported him to the police and community leaders.

“There was a time when this man and his wife took a pregnant pupil to a doctor to abort the pregnancy, but the doctor refused because the pregnancy was in an advanced stage,” said a police officer who cannot be named as she is not allowed to talk to the media.

Yesterday, the teacher’s wife, who also cannot be named, confirmed that she was in hiding in a police station.

“The police advised me to come here because we were not sure how the man would react when he arrived home,” she said.

Limpopo department of education spokesperson Matome Moremi Taueatsoala said: “We have investigated and have not established any facts around the allegations and are therefore unable to take any steps.”

NOW READ: Stop the sugarcoating: It’s not sexual misconduct by teachers, it’s rape



Share this article

Read more on these topics

Limpopo sex sexual misconduct teacher

Download our app