A 53-year-old teacher from Zivuko Secondary School in Maruveni, Tzaneen, has been accused of impregnating a Grade 11 pupil and engaging in sexual relationships with at least four pupils.
The scandal came to light after the teacher allegedly confessed to local community leaders and sought forgiveness. However, community members and activists are calling for a thorough investigation into the matter.
Lord Ndlovu, a senior member of the local Community Policing Forum (CPF), confirmed to The Citizen that suspicions first arose in November last year. He said the teacher was confronted and had promised to stop his actions.
“The allegations surfaced for the first time last November, and we confronted the teacher, who promised not to do it again. The involved pupils said the teacher was in sexual relationships with four pupils from the school,” Ndlovu told the Citizen.
However, Ndlovu claims the misconduct persisted. “Last week, I heard he was doing it again. This time the police and the department must deal with it,” he said.
Elizabeth Shingange, from the Elizabeth Home Foundation, also expressed concerns about the handling of the investigation. “We were told that the department claims to have investigated the matter within 24 hours, and we are not happy with that. They must conduct a proper investigation and provide feedback. We, as the community, know that this problem exists, but the department is denying it,” she said.
A source close to the situation revealed that the teacher’s wife has sought refuge at a police station after some residents accused her of exposing his actions. The Citizen has seen WhatsApp conversations in which the teacher allegedly instructed a pupil to open a bank account so he could send R500 to buy her child some clothes.
The source further claimed that the teacher’s wife discovered conversations between her husband and the pupils. “The wife has been hiding at the police station because people told the teacher that she reported him to the police and community leaders. There was a time when this man and his wife took a pregnant pupil to a doctor to abort the pregnancy, but the doctor refused because the pregnancy was in an advanced stage,” a police officer, who wished to remain anonymous, said.
Speaking to The Citizen, the teacher’s wife, who also cannot be named, confirmed that she was in hiding. “The police advised me to come here because we were not sure how the man would react when he arrived home,” she said.
Limpopo Department of Education spokesperson Matome Moremi Taueatsoala said: “We have investigated and have not established any facts around the allegations and are therefore unable to take any steps.”
Meanwhile, community members continue to demand justice, urging authorities to conduct a thorough probe into the matter. Law enforcement officials have yet to confirm whether criminal charges will be laid against the teacher.
Source: The Citizen
