21 Eastern Cape Teachers Guilty of Sexual Misconduct Back At Work Where They Offended

Twenty-one teachers were found guilty of sexual misconduct during disciplinary proceedings by the Eastern Cape Department of Education and still sent back to the schools where they committed the offences.

Professor Tshepo Madlingozi, Commissioner at the South African Human Rights Commission said the impact on learners can be devastating if an offending teacher is sent back to work.

"Returning a person, found guilty of sexual misconduct to a school, where affected learners remain can undermine their safety, recovery, trust in reporting systems and access to education.

"It may affect attendance, participation, academic performance and a learner’s ability to remain in school.

"Where the alleged perpetrator is an educator, the abuse of a position of trust and authority can make the school environment itself feel unsafe.

"Sexual violence can cause profound physical and psychological harm, including injury, fear, anxiety, trauma, loss of trust and difficulty concentrating," Madlingozi said.

Briefing the media before the matric pledge signing ceremony in Komani on Friday (October 9), MEC Gade said one of the reasons the provincial pass rate dropped from 83.9% of the Class of 2025 to 82% in Quarter 3 of 2026, was teacher sexual misconduct.

Statistics released by the department states that 98 cases of sexual misconduct were recorded in the Eastern Cape since the 2022/23 financial year up until now.

The trend indicated that, although learner enrolment continued to increase, the performance gains achieved in 2025 were not sustained in 2026.

“The province has experienced challenges arising from the temporary absence of 40 teachers responsible for critical subjects, who have been suspended in connection with allegations of learner molestation.

"While the department takes allegations of this nature extremely seriously and follows due processes, we recognise the impact that the absence of educators in critical subjects may have on teaching and learning.,” MEC Gade said.

Responding to follow up questions from The Coastal, education provincial spokesperson, Mali Mtima, said 98 cases of sexual misconduct by teachers, involving learners, were recorded from the 2022/23 financial year up until now.

“In the 98 cases, 82 educators were placed on precautionary suspensions. There are 40 educator cases that have since been finalised with nine educators resigning, four retired while (some) cases have not yet been disposed of.

"Six educators were acquitted and four cases withdrawn due to various outcomes of investigations. The allegations reported from primary schools were nine and in high and secondary schools were 89 in total.

He confirmed that almost two dozens of teachers, who were found guilty, were allowed back into the classrom. "A total of twenty-one educators were found guilty but not dismissed and have returned to their schools while twenty-one other educators were dismissed."

He said the department’s employee relations unit currently had no data regarding the ages of the learners affected in the mentioned cases.

On outcomes of the hearings, Mtima said, the awards are implemented and the affected educators subjected to the outcome of the hearings.

Professor Madlingozi said the Commission’s recommended response is effective protective action, appropriate employment and professional consequences, and information-sharing to prevent unsafe reappointment.

Any decision must prioritise the children's best interests and comply with the applicable legal process,” he said.

The Commissioner warned that there is no single measure which will eliminate sexual violence in schools.

"The Commission calls for an integrated national safeguarding system which connects schools, provincial education departments, policing, prosecution and child protection registers. This must include universal pre-appointment vetting against the relevant registers for every adult with access to learners,” Madlingozi said.

A national blight

*The SA Human Rights Commission’s (SAHRC) June 2026 report titled Sexual Violence at Schools: A Crisis of Fragmentation, Delayed Integration, Incomplete Register Population, and Uneven Enforcement, confirms that sexual violence affecting learners is a serious and persistent concern (nationally). Between 2021 and 2025, the South African Council for Educators (SACE) recorded 826 sexual misconduct complaints. Its broader professional misconduct caseload totaled 3 414 complaints over that period. The report also records approximately 200 rapes on school premises during the first two quarters of 2025/26.