The state plans to oppose bail for an East London primary school deputy principal accused of running a human trafficking and prostitution ring involving girls and young women at a well-known city brothel.
The 52-year-old woman, facing eight counts of human trafficking, appeared in the East London magistrate’s court on Thursday.
She was arrested by the Hawks’ East London serious organised crime investigation unit on Wednesday while she was teaching at a school in Cove Ridge, outside the city.
The educator is accused of recruiting young women from the former Transkei region, namely Qumbu, Mthatha and Ngqeleni.
Provincial Hawks spokesperson Warrant Officer Ndiphiwe Mhlakuvana said the investigation began in September 2023, when the victims were transported from different areas to East London and allegedly coerced into prostitution at the accused’s residence in Quigney.
During the court proceedings, the state said it intended to oppose bail.
Her case was then postponed to October 23 for a formal bail application.
She will remain in custody.
Parents from the school and the ANC’s Women's League, led by its chair, Zininzi Mtyingizane, picketed outside the court, calling for no bail.
Meanwhile, her colleagues came to support her.
“She is our boss, regardless of what is said, we came to support her. But we also want to hear what happened,” one of them said.
Court papers claim that when new girls arrived at the house from where the alleged brothel was being run, the accused and other girls there would instruct the new girls what to wear and explain where they should stand at night to entice male clients for prostitution work.
The woman is also accused of providing clothing which they were required to wear at a fee, which they were required to pay back.
“From the money each girl made during the night, the accused collects R250 every morning. This amount has gone up to R300 currently,” the court papers state.
“If a girl did not make enough money to pay the accused, she would evict that girl without mercy.
“The accused made these girls always depend on her, as keeping up with the rent demands was never easy to meet.”
According to the court papers, the deputy principal is accused of trafficking girls aged between 16 and 23 by “unlawfully and intentionally” recruiting, transporting and transferring them within or across the borders of the SA, by means of a threat or other forms of coercion.
She is further accused of keeping a brothel in contravention of Section 2 of the Sexual Offences Act.
The court papers state that between August 2022 and October 2025, the teacher allegedly kept a brothel in Quigney.
She is also accused of living off the earnings of prostitution, “knowingly living wholly or in part on the earnings of prostitution in contravention of Section 20(1)(a) of the Sexual Offences Act 23 of 1957”.
Once her name appears in such a register, she will not be able to work anywhere in SA
Eastern Cape education head Sharon Maasdorp distanced the department from the alleged actions of the accused, saying that such action stripped women of their dignity and human rights.
“Human trafficking and sexual exploitation of young girls is banned in this country.
“Therefore, this behaviour puts the name of the department into disrepute ... such conduct leads to someone being declared not fit to work in an environment where there are children.
“Additionally, in terms of the Sexual Offences Amendment Act (Act No 32 of 2007) if she is found guilty, her name should be put in the Sexual Offences Register.
“Once her name appears in such a register, she will not be able to work anywhere in SA,” Maasdorp said.
“We will refer the matter to the South African Council for Educators (SACE) as this is equal to a breach of prescribed Professional Conduct by SACE.
“Our responsibility, therefore, is to report the matter to law enforcement agencies and deal with the employee in terms of the internal departmental processes.”
The Dispatch previously reported that three Eastern Cape teachers were still teaching despite being listed on the National Register of Sexual Offenders.
Their cases involved charges of rape and assault. The department at the time said the department was finalising the labour relations process.
An individual is listed on the register only once convicted and sentenced by a court.
However, on Thursday, Maasdorp confirmed the teachers had since been dismissed.
“We are terminating services of anyone who appears in the register in compliance with the law,” she said.
“This will ensure that we censor any criminals from entering the system,” Maasdorp said.
Mtyingizani
expressed disappointment that the alleged perpetrator was not only a woman, but also a government employee.
“We are devastated. It is particularly disturbing that someone entrusted with the care and education of children could [allegedly] be responsible for such harm.
“As parents, we place immense trust in educators to safeguard our children’s wellbeing, yet some of those very individuals have now become a threat to their safety,” Mtyingizeni said.
She expressed concern over increasing incidents of violence and abuse within schools.
“It’s frightening to think that schools, which should be safe spaces for learning and growth, are becoming places where children are vulnerable not just to external threats, but to the very people who are supposed to protect them.”
Daily Dispatch
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