Limpopo: Teacher resigns amid rape allegations
The 50-year-old teacher of Mbilwi Secondary School is accused of raping a learner (17).
LIMPOPO – The Limpopo Education Department’s Spokesperson, Tidimalo Chuene, confirmed that the 50-year-old Mbilwi Secondary School teacher, who is accused of rape, has resigned.
“The resignation was accepted and processed accordingly. He has since been ‘removed’ from our system,” she adds.
Chuene says they deem the accusations against him, as “serious and worrying”.
“We as parents leave our children in the care of teachers, to build and nurture them into responsible adults. The idea of one them taking advantage of our children in this alleged manner, is very disturbing. We hope justice prevails in this case,” she remarks.
The teacher, who faces three counts of rape, was arrested at the school on 14 May and is set to appear in the Thohoyandou Magistrate’s Court again on Thursday, 27 May.
Police Spokesperson, Brig Motlafela Mojapelo previously said it is believed that the teacher raped a 17-year-old learner, who was in Gr 12 at the time, on several occasions during 2018.
“In one of the incidents, he reportedly offered to assist her with extra lessons but instead took her to a lodge where he raped her. He thereafter threatened the child and offered her money to stay silent,” Mojapelo said at the time.
In a statement by Police Spokesperson, Col Moatshe Ngoepe, it is said that the teacher is expected to apply for bail.
“He appeared in the Thohoyandou Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, 25 May, and his case was postponed until Thursday, 27 May, for formal bail application and further police investigations. The teacher was remanded in custody,” Ngoepe added.
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