Riot Hlatshwayo and Alfred Moselakgomo

Riot Hlatshwayo and Alfred Moselakgomo

A concerned pupil from a secondary school in Mpumalanga has blown the whistle on teachers she accuses of harassing fellow schoolgirls.

The scandal was laid bare in a letter to the head of the province's education department.

The Grade 12 pupil from La Mbhalati Secondary school in the Tonga region said she could no longer stand by and watch her friends being abused.

The department said the pupil sent the letter to them without identifying herself.

"Some friends raised the issue to the authorities of the school, but nothing was done (sic).

"We also raised the issue that those teachers have affairs with pupils at school. Some also have children with them and they are transmitting HIV-Aids to the pupils as some of the teachers have died of the disease," says a copy of the letter.

The letter further says: "I'm appealing to the minister of education to do something regarding this matter. If nothing is done we expect the worst to come this year. We as students will burn the school to show our anger."

School principal Sipho Moses Khoza said he had heard about the allegations but could not comment on their validity.

Mpumalanga education department spokesman, Hlahla Ngwenya said the letter was sent straight to the department's head, Raymond Tywakadi.