Allegations of sexual harassment against teachers at a leading Mthatha school have sparked days of chaos, with pupils burning tyres, disrupting classes and demanding action from authorities.
On Tuesday, the crisis boiled over when pupils set tyres alight inside and outside the school premises of St John’s College, forcing police to intervene.
Lieutenant-Colonel Siphokazi Mawisa confirmed that public order police were dispatched to disperse the protest.
“They ran away after seeing public order policing vehicles,” she said.
No injuries or arrests were reported.
Pupils at the school alleged that some teachers had been preying on girls for years — intimidating victims, threatening them into silence and in some cases coercing them into inappropriate sexual relationships.
The protest followed an emergency meeting at the school on Monday.
One pupil said: “I don’t feel surprised as it is something that has been happening for years.
“They have changed my perspective of teachers because I had viewed teachers as parents, but now I view them as people who target young girls.”
Another pupil said: “It affects me emotionally and psychologically ... Yes, there have been incidents where the teachers have threatened victims, which is what infuriates us.
“We hope the department deals with such teachers and ensures that they leave our schools.”
A third pupil described a breakdown of trust.
“It does not feel safe at all ... Teachers are supposed to guide us, but what is happening is destroying us.”
Pupils also called for counselling.
Attempts to get comment from school principal Zolisa Magaqa were unsuccessful.
Eastern Cape education spokesperson Malibongwe Mtima confirmed the department had launched a preliminary investigation to test the veracity of the claims.
“We have noted the learner issues and have started a preliminary investigation ...
“We will deploy psychosocial support for these learners to get debriefing and counselling ... and we guarantee the learners that their information will not be shared or used to victimise them.”
Mtima said three similar cases at different schools in the district were now before the Education Labour Relations Council.
Child rights activist Petros Majola, founder of Khula Community Development Projects, described the allegations as [indicating] a “grave violation of children’s rights”.
“When pupils speak about living in fear of their teachers, it tells us that trust has already been broken. And that is exactly how predators thrive, when communities and institutions fail to act decisively.”
Masimanyane Women’s Rights International executive director Dr Lesley Ann Foster said the case reflected systemic failings in SA’s schools.
“What we are witnessing is not an isolated incident; it is a reflection of a systemic problem where sexual harassment by teachers has become normalised.
“Teachers hold enormous power over students, not only academically but socially and psychologically.
“When that power is abused, it constitutes a deep violation of trust and responsibility. The fact these cases keep surfacing shows that the current accountability systems are not working.”
Daily Dispatch
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