Teachers Involved in Sexual Activities with Learners in South Africa:
Confronting a National Shame

Understanding the policies, the Department of Basic Education’s response, and what must be done
to stop this devastating and embarrassing behaviour.

The idea of a teacher abusing a learner’s trust is horrifying anywhere in the world, but in South Africa it feels
particularly painful. Schools are meant to be safe spaces in a society already weighed down by gender-based violence,
poverty and crime. When educators – people entrusted with children’s futures – engage in sexual activities with learners,
the damage goes far beyond individual cases. It undermines faith in the education system, erodes community trust and
violates the Constitution’s promise to protect every child.

In recent years, a steady stream of news reports and official statistics has shown that sexual misconduct by educators
is not a rare exception, but a persistent and deeply rooted problem that the Department of Basic Education (DBE),
the South African Council for Educators (SACE) and society at large are still struggling to contain.

This article looks at how widespread the problem is, what the law and DBE policies say, what the authorities are doing,
and what more must be done to stop this embarrassing and devastating behaviour in our schools.

How serious is the problem?

While exact numbers are difficult to pin down – cases are often under-reported, mishandled or drag on for years –
available data paints a disturbing picture. Research reports and media coverage consistently show that educator sexual
misconduct is widespread despite being clearly criminalised and prohibited by law and policy.

Crime statistics released in recent years have recorded hundreds of rapes reported as having taken place on educational
premises, including schools, universities, colleges and day care centres. Behind each number is a child who has been
deeply harmed, often by someone they were taught to trust and respect.

Public statements and parliamentary questions have revealed that SACE has recorded close to two hundred cases of sexual
misconduct by educators in single reporting periods. Yet in some years, only a fraction of these cases reach full
disciplinary hearings, and an even smaller number end with teachers being struck off the roll. In later years, news
reports highlighted that dozens of educators were deregistered within twelve to thirteen months, many of them for sexual
offences against learners. These statistics make it clear that the problem is not isolated – it is systemic.

And even these numbers likely represent only the tip of the iceberg. For every case that reaches SACE or the police,
many more are silenced by fear, stigma and pressure from school communities. The result is a silent crisis that erodes
the moral foundation of the teaching profession.

What does the law say?

South Africa has a strong legal and policy framework on paper. Several key instruments directly address sexual abuse and
misconduct by educators and are meant to safeguard learners from exploitation.

• The Constitution guarantees children’s rights to dignity, equality, bodily integrity and protection
  from maltreatment, neglect, abuse or degradation. Any sexual exploitation of a learner is a direct violation of
  these rights.
• The Employment of Educators Act 76 of 1998 sets out “serious misconduct” for which an educator
  must be dismissed. This includes committing a sexual offence, or having a sexual relationship with a learner at the
  school where they teach.
• The Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act criminalises sexual activities
  between adults and children, and recognises that people in positions of authority can abuse power even where a
  child appears to “consent”.
• The SACE Act and Code of Professional Ethics require educators to refrain from any form of sexual
  harassment, improper physical contact, sexual relationships or sexting with learners from any school. Breaching
  this Code is grounds for disciplinary action and removal from the profession.
• DBE and civil society guidelines provide step-by-step toolkits on how schools should respond when
  allegations arise – including reporting to SACE, the DBE and the police – and how to protect survivors.

On paper, there is no grey area: sexual activities between teachers and learners are always unethical, always
unprofessional and always potentially criminal. The challenge lies in enforcing these rules consistently and
decisively.

What are the DBE and SACE doing?

Under intense pressure from Parliament, civil society and the media, both the Department of Basic Education and SACE
have taken visible steps to clamp down on educator sexual misconduct. News reports frequently highlight cases where
teachers have been dismissed, deregistered and barred from working with children after investigations.

In various reporting periods, SACE has deregistered dozens of teachers, many specifically for sexual offences against
learners. These decisions are often publicised in the media to send a clear message that such behaviour is
unacceptable. In addition, some of these teachers’ names have been forwarded to the Department of Social Development
for listing in the National Child Protection Register, which prevents them from working with children in any other
sector.

Beyond individual cases, the DBE and SACE have developed ethics handbooks, teacher training programmes and school
safety campaigns that address gender-based violence, sexual harassment and learners’ rights. They participate in
national awareness campaigns and work with NGOs to create learner-friendly reporting mechanisms and educational
materials on abuse and consent.

However, despite these efforts, the number of complaints remains high and many communities still feel that the system
moves too slowly and is too lenient. This has led to growing calls for stronger enforcement and greater transparency.

Where are the gaps?

Even with strong laws and high-profile disciplinary cases, serious weaknesses remain in the way South Africa responds
to teacher–learner sexual abuse.

1. Under-reporting and silencing of learners

Learners often feel powerless to speak out. They fear not being believed, being blamed, or being targeted by the
teacher and other learners. Some depend on teachers for marks, references, extra lessons, food or transport, which
makes reporting feel risky. Families and school managers sometimes pressure victims to keep quiet to avoid “shaming”
the school. As a result, many cases never reach official statistics.

2. Slow or inconsistent disciplinary action

In several reporting periods, there has been a large gap between the number of complaints and the number of hearings
and deregistrations. Investigations can take months or years, and some teachers resign before their hearings are
completed. In a few cases, light sanctions or poor coordination have allowed offenders to reappear in other schools
or provinces, continuing to teach new groups of learners.

3. School culture and power dynamics

Many schools still operate under rigid hierarchies where questioning authority is discouraged. Colleagues may suspect
wrongdoing but keep quiet. Principals might try to handle matters internally instead of reporting to authorities.
Learners are taught obedience before they are taught about bodily autonomy and consent. When this school culture is
combined with broader societal problems such as gender-based violence, patriarchy and economic inequality, it creates
a dangerous environment where some teachers feel untouchable and vulnerable learners feel trapped.

What must be done to stop this behaviour?

Ending sexual abuse by educators is not only about punishing the guilty; it is about transforming the systems and
cultures that enable abuse. Several key steps are essential if we truly want to protect learners.

1. Zero tolerance in practice, not just on paper

Any allegation of sexual misconduct must trigger immediate protective measures for the learner. That means removing
the educator from contact with learners, offering psychosocial support and launching an independent investigation.
Schools must follow clear protocols rather than improvising or prioritising their reputation.

2. Faster and more transparent disciplinary processes

The DBE and SACE should publish regular, detailed statistics on sexual misconduct cases: how many are reported, how
many are investigated, and how many lead to dismissal, deregistration or criminal conviction. The gap between reported
cases and final sanctions must narrow, and long delays must be tackled through better resourcing and coordination.

3. Mandatory reporting and accountability for failure to act

Every educator, principal and governing body member must understand that failing to report suspected abuse is itself a
serious offence. Provincial departments must discipline officials who suppress or ignore cases. Protecting the school’s
image can never be more important than protecting children.

4. Strengthening prevention through education

Learners need age-appropriate, rights-based education on sexuality, consent, boundaries and where to report abuse.
Teachers must receive ongoing training on ethics, gender-based violence and professional boundaries, with clear
examples of misconduct – including “joking” messages, WhatsApp flirting, or giving lifts home that cross lines.

5. Safer, anonymous reporting mechanisms

Schools and districts should provide multiple channels for reporting – suggestion boxes, hotlines, online platforms,
trusted child-protection officers – so that learners are not forced to report directly to someone they fear. NGOs and
independent helplines can play a critical role where learners do not trust local authorities.

6. Stronger community and SGB involvement

School Governing Bodies, parents and community leaders must be trained and empowered to interrogate school culture,
demand action from principals and escalate cases when necessary. Communities must send a unified message: we will
believe children, we will protect them and we will not protect predators, even if they are respected teachers.

7. Improved screening and mobility controls

Annual verification of SACE registration and checks against the National Child Protection Register should be mandatory
for all schools, public and private. When a teacher is found unsuitable, this information must move quickly across
provincial borders and into the independent school sector so that offenders cannot simply “start fresh” somewhere else.

Protecting learners must come first

Teachers who engage in sexual activities with learners are not simply “making mistakes”; they are committing criminal
acts and gross professional misconduct. Every such act violates the learner’s rights, betrays families and drags the
teaching profession through the mud.

South Africa has strong laws, clear policies and visible examples of sanctions through SACE and DBE processes. Yet the
persistence of cases – and the gap between reported misconduct and final consequences – shows that we are far from
where we need to be. Stopping this embarrassing and destructive behaviour requires more than outrage when a viral
story hits the news. It demands consistent, coordinated action: thorough investigations, swift disciplinary processes,
serious criminal prosecutions, empowered learners and communities, and an uncompromising culture of zero tolerance in
every staff room.

Until every child can walk into a classroom knowing they are safe, we cannot honestly claim that our education system
is truly serving South Africa’s future.

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