Durban principle

Seven KZN teachers face suspension after raping and assaulting students

Harrowing footage has emerged of pupils being violated by teachers

Durban principle

The Education Department confirmed that seven KZN teachers will be suspended for barbaric acts of sexual assault, rape and violence towards pupils

Two cases were caught on video, and the blood-boiling nature of the assaults are a disgusting reflection of how at-risk some of our kids are in certain schools.

Earlier we reported on the footage that emerged of a female student at Mdlamfe Secondary School in Esikhawini: She was brutally beaten, caned and thrown about the classroom by her male teacher.

Escalating violence in KZN schools

Even more shocking was the news that a high school girl in the same district was gang-raped by a teacher, a head of department and the principal: The sickening nature of the attack is incomprehensible, but it is happening to our most vulnerable members of society.

We talked to the Spokesperson for the Department of Basic Education, Elijah Mhlanga, this morning. He confirmed the teachers will be suspended today. He also maintained schools are still safe institutions if everyone ‘plays their part’:

“All three of them on one learner.that’s shocking, disgusting and disappointing for people who are supposed to protect the learners.”

“We must all stand up to this problem: Teachers, members of the public, members of government. The problem is bigger than the schools, it needs organisation and we are working with various government departments.

“We believe we can achieve safer school environments by following The National School Safety Framework. It requires everyone to play their part in resolving these issues. Disciplinary actions need to be taken against all involved in violent incidents.”

When asked if parents could feel safe sending their kids to school, Mhlanga responded by reassuring us that an ‘overwhelming majority’ of teachers are good people who protect their students.

Devastating news for parents and carers

For a while, violence in our schools has been attributed to the violence in our society. This, however, isn’t just another case of impressionable kids making awful decisions. This is seven (potentially more) servants of society abusing their positions of power.

As parents, you send your children to school with the bare minimum expectation that they will be looked after. That confidence has taken a battering following the acts of these KZN teachers.