A 38-year-old educator at an Oudtshoorn high school resigned days after the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) received allegations of an inappropriate relationship with a 14-year-old learner.
The man was arrested on Monday 3 August, following an investigation by the Oudtshoorn Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit.
According to police, the investigation looked into allegations of statutory rape with alleged offences taking place between March and April.
“Oudtshoorn (FCS) Unit probes allegations where a minor girl (14) was violated by a man between March and April 2026,” said WO Christopher Spies. “The preliminary investigation resulted in the registration of a statutory rape case.”
The suspect was arrested in Oudtshoorn following further investigation and appeared in the Oudtshoorn Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday 4 August. The matter was postponed to 1 October for further investigation, Spies said.
The accused has since been released from police custody.
WCED Communications Directorate Millicent Merton confirmed that the department first received a report regarding the allegations on 23 July. Immediately after, it referred the matter to the Labour Relations Directorate, where a formal case was opened.
However, the educator resigned from the department just two days later, on 25 July, and has not returned to duty since.
“The WCED views allegations of this nature very seriously,” Merton said in correspondence with NovaNews.
Internal disciplinary hearing
According to Merton, the resignation means the WCED cannot proceed with an internal disciplinary hearing against the educator. This is because the suspect is no longer employed by the department.
However, the department has nevertheless taken steps to prevent him from obtaining another position in public education. “WCED has therefore initiated steps to place a block on the educator’s employment record on PERSAL,” said Merton. “This measure is intended to prevent the educator from securing future employment within the public education sector pending the relevant disciplinary processes based on the allegations.”
WCED also confirmed that the matter was reported to the South African Council for Educators (SACE), while the district facilitated psychosocial support interventions. And the department stressed that resignation does not remove the educator’s accountability in relation to the allegations.
Police said their investigation remains ongoing.
The identity of the accused and the learner has not been disclosed, in accordance with the protection afforded to minors and the ongoing investigation.
