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Sex pests target orphans

Teachers prey on parentless girls

FOUR West Rand teachers, recently accused of having relationships with pupils, allegedly preyed on girls who do not have parents.

Four teachers at AB Phokompe Secondary School in Mohlakeng have been suspended for having relationships with pupils.

A source said the suspension took a long time because the teachers allegedly paid pupils not to testify against them.

"When the school management team found out about the affairs, they tried to open cases but the girls were paid not to show up.

"The school had to threaten to charge the learners and that was when they cooperated.

"The worst thing about this is that the girls have no parents or they do not live with their parents and that is why it was easy for the teachers to take advantage of them," said the source.

School governing body chairman Isaac Modisakeng said he did not want to comment on the case as it was continuing.

" We held campaigns to teach the children that it is wrong to have a relationship with a teacher.

"More than anything else we are concerned about our children," he said.

Gauteng education spokesman Charles Phahlane said 11 teachers were on suspension for allegedly having sexual relations with pupils.

He confirmed that one of the suspended teachers, Thabo Mafologela, was a repeat offender.

Mafologela resigned from Randfontein Secondary School in Toekomsrus before he was charged for allegedly having a relationship with a pupil.

Two weeks ago he tried to resign again but the department rejected his resignation and slapped him with a suspension.

Phahlane said another teacher, Jonas Phukubje of Thutolefa Secondary School in Kagiso, who is also an alleged repeat offender, was dismissed after a disciplinary hearing.

"He has since appealed and is waiting for the outcome of the appeal," Phahlane said.

Phukubje left Mafaesa Secondary School in Munsieville after he was accused of having a relationship with a pupil. He went to Thutolefa.

Phahlane said the department did not open statutory rape cases against the teachers but rather charged them according to the Schools Act.

Section 17 of the Schools Act states that "an educator must be dismissed if he or she is found guilty of .... having a sexual relationship with a learner of the school where he or she is employed ...".

Phahlane said: "Once the department concludes the case, the matter is referred to the South African Council of Educators (Sace) for their own investigation to take a decision based on their outcome as to whether to de-register an educator or not."

Sace chairman Rej Brijraj said 56 teachers had been dismissed nationwide for sexual abuse of pupils between April 1 2011 and January 10 2012.

The council had received 91 cases nationally of sexual misconduct of teachers.

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