The state has been accused of unnecessarily delaying the case of a 21-year-old assistant who stands accused of sexually violating boys at an affluent school in Johannesburg.

Magistrate Paul du Plessis said at the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday that he could not understand what was taking so long to wrap up the investigation.

“It’s not a complicated case. The witnesses are all available‚” Du Plessis said in response to a request for a postponement by prosecutor Ndivuwho Masindi.

Du Plessis gave the state a firm warning to finalise the matter.

The assistant‚ who allegedly raped and sexually assaulted boys last year‚ stood with his hands behind his back and nodded in agreement with Du Plessis.

According to information posted on his Facebook page‚ the assistant was a former pupil at the school where nine boys aged 15 to 17 allegedly violated.

The allegations surfaced late last year‚ leading to the man leaving the school.

He first appeared in court in November and was officially charged with schedule six offences. He was released on R3000 bail.

The man‚ dressed in a short-sleeved blue striped shirt and a black tie rushed outside after proceedings to shake hands with a woman from a prison ministry.

The case returns to court on May 10.