One of the good things about the end of an election season is that leaders can start leading without fear that their morally correct positions might impact negatively on their political aspirations.

One of the good things about the end of an election season is that leaders can start leading without fear that their morally correct positions might impact negatively on their political aspirations.

The leadership of the South African Democratic Teachers Union has finally spoken out against teachers who sexually abuse children they are supposed to teach.

This follows reports that male teachers at a Durban school were accused of having sex with female pupils as young as 15 in exchange for money and liquor.

The provincial education department has suspended five teachers and the police are now investigating criminal charges against them.

Sadtu's regional leaders have in the past ridiculously argued that moves to name and shame teachers for sexual abuse were meant to destroy their careers. In the Durban case, they shamelessly chose to confine themselves to technicalities and protested about procedures followed when the teachers were suspended.

Breaking ranks with this backward thinking, Sadtu leaders Thulas Nxesi and Thobile Ntola are starting to show leadership. They have called on other teachers to blow the whistle on their colleagues who sexually abuse children. We hope that the next step would be to expel them from the union.