Investigation launched into KZN teacher's alleged sexual misconduct at Pitlochry Primary School
Several parents and concerned residents staged a protest outside the school on Tuesday calling for the removal of the teacher. Spokesperson for the DoE, Muzi Mahlambi, said the matter was reported to the school principal on April 5, 2025. Mahlambi said the circuit manager instituted an investigation immediately.
'The findings and the recommendations are now at the desk of the head of the department to apply his mind and take appropriate actions. We are very disappointed as the department to have such a character teaching our learners. The department frowns at such behaviour,' Mahlambi said.
KwaZulu-Natal Parents Association chairperson, Vee Gani, said the matter was brought to his attention on Thursday. Gani said the matter was already being investigated by the DoE.
Gani said the complaint was lodged with supporting evidence, and that the DoE should have acted immediately to remove or suspend the teacher. Gani said the department must not place him at another school. On vetting of teachers, Gani said it had a good and bad notion. Gani said a teacher can be cleared today but the nature of the person can change tomorrow.
'Even though vetted, they can still cause a crime. The department should have acted with speed and should have protected the reputation of the school. The relevant parties should have gotten involved to minimise the reputational risk,' he said.
Gani said that parents must be vigilant and monitor their children's cellphone. Gani said role-players must do all that they can to prevent it from happening again.
'It gets worse when a protector becomes a violator. I hope justice takes its course and if he is found guilty the department must dispense whatever sanction is appropriate for the crime. Putting an article on social media opens the door for all sorts of blame games to happen,' Gani said.
Thirona Moodley, National Professional Teachers' Organisation of South Africa (NAPTOSA) chief executive officer, said they are against any act of sexual grooming or any advances of a sexual nature between an educator and learners.
'Educators stand in for parents while learners are at school .They are to protect learners and not use their positions to exploit our learners. These are allegations that must be tested and before that we cannot be judge and jury. It is for this reason the department must investigate and report their findings to all concerned,' Moodley said.
Concerned parent Lee Maharajh said the outcome of the awareness protest on Tuesday did not yield the desired results they expected. Maharajh said parents have been left frustrated with the process.
"We wanted answers as parents and community activists as to why it took so long for the school to give feedback on this matter, even via the D6 communicator app. The school failed to give us answers. Instead they chose to go the silenct route. Parents have heard about the matter through social media and television news. We wait with bated breath for the outcome of the investigation," Maharajh said
Sydenham police are investigating a case of child grooming following reports that a man was allegedly sending explicit messages to a 12-year-old girl, said police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda.
[email protected]
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
a day ago
- IOL News
Frustrated parents demand action from KZN Education Department over Westville Senior Primary issues
A group of parents held a protest outside Westville Senior Primary earlier this year. Image: Supplied A group of parents whose children attend Westville Senior Primary School has accused the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education (DoE) of failing to deliver on its promises to investigate allegations of misconduct against the school's principal. In a strongly worded statement, the parents said they were left 'deeply disappointed and frustrated' by what they described as the department's 'troubling lack of capacity and inability to conduct timely, thorough, and transparent investigations.' The grievances against the principal are not new. In May, parents staged a protest outside the school, citing more than 50 unresolved complaints since 2023. Allegations ranged from financial mismanagement and procedural misconduct to the unilateral dropping of isiZulu as a first additional language. The principal was suspended in August 2024 to allow investigations to take place but was later reinstated after a review. 'On 28th May 2025, during a formal meeting chaired by Mrs TA Gumede (DoE), Mrs Gumede committed to the parents to complete all investigations and deliver comprehensive reports to the School Governing Body (SGB) by 12th June 2025,' the statement read. Parents also questioned Gumede's conduct during that meeting, saying she was 'disrespectful to parents'. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading The parents said no reports were submitted by the June deadline, and when the DoE convened a meeting with the SGB on 14 August 2025, parents allege the department once again failed to deliver. 'The entire panel arrived empty-handed, without a single completed report, rendering the meeting ineffective. The panel's dismissive attitude and alleged breach of confidentiality to certain parent members was not only unprofessional but deeply insulting to the educators, parents, and SGB members who have tirelessly advocated for answers and never failing to follow due process,' the parents' statement said. They also raised concern that the 'DoE are only willing to investigate complaints by the Department employed teachers, and not the teachers employed by the SGB'. In response, KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education spokesperson Muzi Mahlambi said: 'The department has written to the SGB with the new management plan that has proposed dates to meet them and the parents this month.' The parents said they were now considering legal action. 'Parents, community, and educators have lost all confidence in the DOE's ability or willingness to do their jobs acting in the best interests of the school community,' the statement concluded. THE MERCURY
The South African
a day ago
- The South African
KZN Education Department targets ghost employees
The crisis-plagued KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education has launched a rigorous sweeping verification process aimed at exposing and eliminating ghost employees, individuals who have continued to draw full salaries despite no longer working for the department. This comes amid mounting financial strain, partly due to ghost workers and salary mismanagement, which contributed to KZN overspending its budget by R158.6 million in the 2024-2025 financial year. Ghost employees include teachers who have resigned, been dismissed, or even passed away, yet still appear on payroll systems and receive monthly payments. 'The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education will be embarking on a rigorous employee verification process to ensure that the correct number of employees are legitimately receiving remuneration through the Department's persal systems,' the department said in a statement on Tuesday, 19 August 2025. 'This process has been necessitated by instances where delays in the administrative termination of employees—due to retirement, resignation, or death—have resulted in continued salary payments long after the individuals have exited the Department.' Amid these discrepancies, the department said it engaged the Provincial Treasury, led by MEC Francois Rodgers, to assist with the necessary IT infrastructure to facilitate 'this large-scale verification exercise and to ensure the quality and integrity of the process'. Education MEC Sipho Hlomuka said: 'We are confident that the verification process will enhance transparency, accountability, and good governance.' He also called for the full cooperation of all department employees to ensure the success of the initiative. Details on the verification process are sketchy. However, the department said they will be communicated in due course. Hlomuka has come under heavy scrutiny after allegations that he allegedly interfered in the R2.9 billion National School Nutrition programme bidding process. Hlomuka was accused of favouring a company he helped start in 2017 to benefit from the nutrition tender process. He summarily refuted all the allegations against him. These damning allegations prompted the KwaZulu-Natal Premier, Thamsanqa Ntuli, to demand written explanations from him and his counterpart, MEC for Health Nomagugu Simelane. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 11. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news
IOL News
4 days ago
- IOL News
Scores of motorists arrested in KwaZulu-Natal road safety blitz
AN OFFICER from the KwaZulu-Natal Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI) puts handcuffs on one of the motorists who were arrested in last night's road safety blitz for various violations ranging from driving under the influence of alcohol and illegal possession of firearms. A late-night road safety blitz led by the KwaZulu-Natal Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI) resulted in the arrest of scores of motorists for various violations ranging from drunk driving to possession of illegal firearms. The multi-disciplinary operation, commanded by a senior female officer and supported largely by women law enforcement officials, ran from last night into the early hours of the morning. It involved RTI officers working in partnership with the South African Police Service, Metro Police, and municipal traffic authorities. Transport MEC Siboniso Duma praised the women-led team, saying they embodied the 'No-Nonsense, Zero Tolerance and Alufakwa' campaign aimed at restoring discipline on the province's roads. 'Our RTI team, together with SAPS and other traffic agencies, successfully arrested motorists for a range of violations,' said Duma. The charges include: -Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs; -Possession of drugs and illegal firearms; -Driving suspected stolen vehicles; -Outstanding warrants of arrest. Duma said the crackdown was necessary in light of the rising number of road accidents, particularly around paydays. 'During the first week of August alone, we lost more than 30 people on our roads,' he said. 'We have observed that accidents spike at the end of the month, on the 15th, and the 25th, when people are paid and are more likely to be out, increasing traffic and pedestrian activity.' The MEC reiterated that law enforcement would continue to adopt a strict stance on lawless driving and crime on the province's roads. 'It is for these reasons I have mandated our team to maintain a No-Nonsense, Zero Tolerance and Alufakwa posture,' said Duma.
