THE Department of Basic Education has vowed to come down hard on teachers found guilty of having sexual relationships with pupils.

The chairman of the South African Council of Educators (SACE) Rej Brijraj said yesterday that from April 2011 to January 10 2012, they had received 91 cases nationally of sexual misconducts against teachers.

Basic Education spokesman Panyaza Lesufi said: "Three things we are not compromising on when it comes to teachers is sexual abuse, financial irregularities and corporal punishment. Any teacher found guilty of that must walk. We are merciless."

Lesufi's comment follows the suspension of four teachers at AB Phokompe Secondary School at Mohlakeng in Randfontein for having sexual relationships with pupils.

One of the teachers, whose name is known to Sowetan, is an alleged repeat offender. When he realised that the department was on his trail, he tried to resign last Monday before he was charged. The department refused to accept his resignation and instead served him and three others with suspension letters.

The teacher allegedly left Randfontein Secondary School in Toekomsrus under similar circumstances. He was accused of having a relationship with a pupil and he resigned before being charged.

Another teacher at Thutolefa Secondary School in Munsieville has been on suspension for months. He left Mafaesa Secondary School in Kagiso after he was alleged to have had relationships with pupils.

Brijraj said that 56 teachers were dismissed nationwide for sexual abuse of pupils between April 1 2011 and January 10 2012.

He said it was difficult to say which province had the worst problem as not all provinces reported incidents to SACE.

- This article was first published in the newspaper on 7 March 2012