South Africa: six teachers struck off over sexual abuse
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on IOL
Six teachers from Western Cape have been struck off South Africa’s professional register for serious misconduct, including five cases of violence or sexual conduct towards pupils. The province accounts for six of the 17 national cases recorded in the South African Council for Educators’ 2025-2026 annual report, IOL reports.
Six teachers from schools in Western Cape province have been struck off the South African Council for Educators (SACE) professional register, five of them in cases involving sexual conduct towards pupils. Western Cape accounts for six of the 17 educators struck off nationally in 2025-2026, according to the SACE annual report.
The cases include the sexual grooming of a pupil at Wesfleur Primary School, sexual assault at Vusisizwe Secondary School and Hector Peterson Secondary School, as well as sexual assault or relationships with pupils at three other schools. The sixth teacher, from St Paul’s Primary School, was struck off for assaulting and verbally abusing pupils, according to the report.
Khalid Sayed, the ANC’s opposition leader in the Western Cape Provincial Parliament, accused the provincial Education Department of management and governance failures. He said the ANC would request a detailed report or a legislative inquiry into disciplinary procedures, possible reports to the justice system and measures to protect pupils, according to IOL.
