Maile orders probe into sexual misconduct allegations at Soweto school
· Citizen
Gauteng Education MEC Lebogang Maile has ordered an urgent investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct involving educators and pupils at Curtis Nkondo School of Specialisation in Emdeni, Soweto.
The investigation follows a sexual harassment complaint involving an educator that was referred by the school principal to the Johannesburg Central District Dispute Management Office on Friday, 7 August.
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Grade 11 pupil makes complaint
According to information formally submitted by the school, a Grade 11 pupil alleged that an educator made an inappropriate sexual remark to her during the second term.
The pupil’s written account describes the interaction and states that she later felt offended and hurt after understanding the meaning of the alleged remark.
A second pupil who said she was present during the interaction also submitted a statement that substantially supported the allegation.
The educator has denied making inappropriate remarks and provided his own account of what happened during a subsequent engagement at the principal’s office.
The department said it was also aware of broader concerns raised by pupil formations and members of the school community about other educators allegedly being involved in separate incidents.
However, it stressed that the number of educators allegedly implicated had not been established.
“The Department must establish precisely how many complaints have formally been lodged, which educators are implicated in each complaint, the nature of each allegation, when each incident was allegedly reported and what action was taken,” it said.
Investigation to look back to 2022
The probe will also examine claims that complaints about inappropriate conduct may date back to 2022.
The department said it would examine school and district records to determine whether complaints were made during that period, who received them, how they were handled, and whether officials fulfilled their responsibilities.
Maile said the department would act against officials if evidence showed that a pupil safety complaint had been ignored, concealed, or discouraged from being reported.
“We are dealing with extremely serious allegations. Schools must be places of safety, learning, and development,” Maile said.
“No educator or official has the right to use a position of authority to sexually harass, exploit, intimidate, or violate a pupil.”
He added that the department would “establish the facts and act decisively wherever wrongdoing is established”.
The department will also determine whether precautionary measures are necessary against any implicated employees. It stressed that such measures would be intended to protect pupils and the investigation and would not constitute a finding of guilt.
Pupils urged to report concerns
The GDE said it was particularly concerned about pupils who may fear intimidation, retaliation or not being believed when reporting sexual harassment or other misconduct.
It said pupils who come forward must be treated with dignity, sensitivity, and confidentiality and must not be victimised for reporting alleged wrongdoing.
Departmental records also show that the school received psychosocial support in April after the death of a Grade 12 pupil. During that intervention, pupils raised concerns about feeling misunderstood or dismissed and expressed a need for educators to receive similar support.
Maile said the department wanted to create an environment where pupils could report inappropriate conduct without fear.
“The first responsibility of adults in our schools is to protect children,” he said.
The department has called on parents, pupils, teachers, pupil formations and others with relevant information to formally report it so that allegations can be documented and investigated.
It also urged the public and media to protect the identities of affected pupils and avoid publishing information that could identify them.
“We will neither protect perpetrators nor prejudge allegations. Our responsibility is to protect pupils, establish the truth and ensure accountability,” Maile said.