PAARL – A male teacher who recently resigned from Simond Private School in Paarl following sexual misconduct allegations involving a learner had previously been found guilty of sexual assault in an internal investigation at another school.
The teacher’s resignation followed his recent suspension after the alleged sexual misconduct incident had come to the school’s attention. It launched an investigation but the teacher resigned before the case could be finalised.
A reliable source close to the school said the incident occurred during a school camp in Durbanville in March this year.
“The teacher was [allegedly] caught red-handed by a group of Grade 12 learners, having sex with a Grade 7 girl in a tent. This paedophile cannot get away with this. What if he does this to another child?”
Paarl Post communicated with the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) about the incident, asking if they were aware of the matter and how it was being dealt with.
Millicent Merton, a spokesperson for the WCED, said the department deals only with public schools and not independent schools, which are privately owned.
However, she added, “independent schools have a duty to report any knowledge, reasonable belief or suspicion of a sexual offence to the police, the Department of Social Development (DSD) and the South African Council for Educators (Sace). All educators, at public or independent schools, are bound by the Sace Code of Professional Ethics, and any allegation of misconduct that breaches this code must be reported for investigation.”
Previous case of abuse
Paarl Post also learned that the teacher in question had worked at a school in Cape Town’s Northern Suburbs. According to information in its possession he started there at the beginning of 2017 as a Grade 6 teacher.
The newspaper’s own investigation led it to two sources employed at the school at the same time as the alleged perpetrator.
One former colleague said they did not want to divulge any information but the journalist should “read between the lines”. The other said they did remember the teacher leaving the school suddenly, but did not know why.
Since this Northern Suburbs school is a public one, governed by the WCED, Merton confirmed the teacher had previously been investigated for misconduct, also of a sexual nature.
“The individual concerned was employed in the public-education sector from October 2016 to March 2018. In July 2017 allegations of sexual assault were levelled against him and he was suspended.”
At the time these serious allegations were made against the teacher he had been teaching at the school for only seven months.
“The former employee was formally charged with sexual misconduct in terms of section 17(1)(b) of the Employment of Educators Act, 76 of 1998 in July 2017,” Merton said. “A disciplinary hearing was convened, and in November 2017 he was found guilty of the charges.
“Sanction was imposed in the form of dismissal. In consequence of the dismissal an indefinite prohibition on the former employee’s re-employment within the Public Service was imposed. The matter was further reported to the South African Council for Educators (Sace) in terms of section 26 of the Employment of Educators Act.”
Case opened at brackenfell police station
An enquiry with regard to the 2017 matter was sent to provincial police to find out if this teacher was ever criminally charged. Const Ndakhe Gwala, a spokesperson for the police in the Western Cape, provided feedback.
“A case was opened at Brackenfell Police Station in June 2017. He was charged and appeared in court, where the matter was later withdrawn. The incident did not occur at the school mentioned.”
Shortly after the recent allegations surfaced at Simond Private School communication was sent out on 27 March to parents and guardians that the matter was being dealt with.
Recent allegations not reported
Meanwhile, Gwala confirmed that by Friday (10 April) no sexually-related crime had been reported to the police involving the accused teacher and the recent allegations. The enquiry was extended to three police stations, where the alleged crime may have been reported, but none had any record of it.
Gwala checked with Durbanville police, in whose policing area the alleged incident occurred, during the camp, and local police stations in Paarl and Paarl East.
Paarl Post gave Simond Private School the opportunity to comment on the allegations. In his feedback yesterday (15 April) Principal Derick Visser said the school had dealt with the matter through its internal processes and safeguarding procedures.
“The matter was reported to Durbanville police on 27 March this year, to Sace on 1 April this year, and to [Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences unit] FCS on 27 March.
“The resignation does not affect the investigation process going forward. The safety and well-being of our learners remain paramount, and the school remains committed to taking all appropriate steps in this regard.
“Given the sensitive nature of the matter, and to protect the confidentiality and well-being of all people involved as well as the integrity of all related processes, the school is not in a position to comment further on confidential learner-related matters, personnel matters or the substance of any engagements with the authorities.”
Shortly after receiving Visser’s feedback Paarl Post contacted Durbanville police again. The newspaper was informed there was absolutely no record of any charges opened against the teacher on 27 March or to date with regard to the recent allegations.
Paarl Post made contact with the teacher to get his side of the story. He chose not to comment.
