Sne Masuku

Sne Masuku

Shocked and angry parents of the under-aged students from Makhumbuza High School in Umlazi who had sexual intercourse with their teachers in exchange for money and booze are pressing five rape charges against the alleged perpetrators.

Yesterday the director at the Umlazi district, Mlu Ntombela, confirmed that charges had been laid at the Umlazi police station.

The five teachers are accused of being part of a sexual orgy that happened regularly at the school laboratory with pupils as young as 15 years old.

Police have confirmed that five rape charges are being investigated.

Superintendent Buhle Ngidi said police would start investigations immediately.

"Five rape charges have been opened by parents of victims aged 14 and 15," he said.

"We had a meeting with parents on Tuesday and they decided to lay charges against the accused teachers," said Ntombela.

Ntombela said that some parents had proposed to enrol the pupils at a boarding school for their own safety. This followed reports that the girls feared for their lives and that one of them had gone into hiding after allegedly receiving threats from one of the accused teachers.

"An agreement with parents has been reached that the pupils should stay at the school where it would be easy to have access to them to help with the investigations," said Ntombela.

The departmental investigation is expected to be concluded by next week Friday and a report on the findings will be handed to the education authorities for a decision.

The five teachers implicated in the scandal were suspended last week.

Education MEC Ina Cronjé has warned that if the internal investigation finds the teachers guilty they would be fired.