Latest news with #EducationLabourRelationsCouncil
Eyewitness News
02-07-2025
- Eyewitness News
Hoërskool Waterkloof parents want principal reinstated despite serious allegations against him
PRETORIA - The principal of Hoërskool Waterkloof in Pretoria is at the centre of a heated stand-off as parents call for his reinstatement while serious allegations continue to loom over him. Chris Denysschen was temporarily removed from his post last year and is currently the subject of an ongoing disciplinary process managed by the Education Labour Relations Council. The Gauteng Education Department said the action taken against him followed claims of improper conduct, but supporters of the principal argued that the matter was being dragged out unfairly, without any formal finding. Denysschen was last week transferred to the Tshwane South district office after fresh concerns were raised about possible interference with witnesses. While details remain limited due to the sensitive nature of the complaints, which allegedly involve minors, legal representatives confirmed that legislation such as the Children's Act and Sexual Offences Act had been referenced during the hearing, as part of the broader arbitration process. To date, no formal criminal charges have been brought, and the principal, through his legal team, has denied any wrongdoing. The department has described the allegations as serious, but the closed hearing has been delayed multiple times, with no timeline for a final outcome. In the meantime, over 1,400 parents have rallied behind Denysschen in a WhatsApp group, praising his contributions to the school and demanding his return. On Wednesday, the complainants' lawyer held a media briefing, criticising what they called an unclear and unfair process. "It might be that we are not happy with the proceedings that's happening now and how it is carrying on. But we have to give this thing a chance to be ventilated during the arbitration and seeing where it goes from there." Meanwhile, parents in support of the principal pointed to Waterkloof's academic success under his leadership, including last year's matric results, which saw the school earn the most distinctions of any public school in the country.
TimesLIVE
01-07-2025
- TimesLIVE
Teacher who had inappropriate relationship with 15-year-old pupil triggering HIV scare loses bid to keep job
A Northern Cape teacher who was dismissed for having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a 15-year-old pupil has failed in a bid to save her R18,000 a month job. The teacher, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the pupil, took the provincial education department to the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC), contending she 'did not breach any rule as alleged by the employer'. The arbitrator heard the grade 9 pupil had to undergo an HIV test and take Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), medication given to individuals at high risk of contracting the virus to prevent infection. The teacher, who taught at a high school, faced two counts. She was accused of dishonesty when interviewed by a labour relations manager about allegations she had been involved in a sexual relationship with the minor. The teacher was charged with contravention of the Employment of Educators Act for allegedly committing statutory rape. She argued the rule she allegedly breached was not consistently applied and she was not 'given a hearing on the alleged misconduct'. She had been teaching at the school since January 2017, earning R18,095 per month as a post-level 1 educator. The teacher was dismissed on November 11 last year after a two-day hearing held in her absence in October. The ELRC arbitrator heard the teacher 'was not present at the hearing and it is common cause she made no attempt to apply for postponement'. She approached the ELRC for 'retrospective reinstatement'.
The Herald
27-06-2025
- The Herald
Hoërskool Waterkloof principal moved to district office after interference complaint
The Gauteng department of education on Thursday precautionarily transferred the principal of Hoërskool Waterkloof, Chris Denysschen, following complaints of alleged interference with witnesses at the school. Allegations of improper conduct were levelled against Denysschen last year and the department refused to disclose full details due to the sensitivity of the matter and the fact that the disciplinary hearing was still pending. He was initially placed on precautionary transfer to the district office in September last year, but this was lifted on December 12, and he returned to school. On Thursday, the department said the principal will from Friday report to the Tshwane South district office. 'He will remain there until the conclusion of the disciplinary proceedings, which are being managed independently by the Education Labour Relations Council, the statutory body responsible for overseeing such hearings,' Gauteng education department spokesperson Steve Mabona said. TimesLIVE
IOL News
08-06-2025
- IOL News
KZN crime statistics highlight loopholes for sexual offenders in accessing society's most vulnerable
Recent high-profile sexual offence cases in KZN include a 12-year-old Reservoir Hills pupil being sexually groomed by a teacher and a six-year-old Esikhaleni pupil who was allegedly raped while at school. THE recent revelation - as part of the fourth quarter SAPS crime statistics - that KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) had the highest number of rape cases within educational facilities demands urgent and focused attention. This amid reports of a growing number of sexual offences against children and following the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) 2024/2025 report expose that a staggering 39 educators in South Africa were convicted of such crimes against learners while at school. Recent high-profile sexual offence cases in KZN include a 12-year-old Reservoir Hills pupil being sexually groomed by a teacher and a six-year-old Esikhaleni pupil who was allegedly raped while at school. The horror of the situation is highlighted by a recent post by Jess Foord, of the Jess Foord Foundation, who stated that 'a South African girl has more chance of being raped than learning to read'. This is the sad reality of sexual offences against children in KZN. The crime statistics – for the period January 1 to March 31 - further revealed that 80 cases of rape were reported in South Africa, with KZN making up 48 of these. This figure forms part of a total of 2 127 reported cases of sexual offences in KZN during the same three months – a number that is increasing each quarter. The statistics also revealed that the Inanda SAPS had the second highest number of reported sexual assault cases in South Africa, with a 6.4% increase in the number of cases compared to the previous quarter. This while Empangeni SAPS recorded the third highest number of rape cases country-wide, with an alarming 32.8% increase from the previous quarter. It is clear that this growing epidemic – whether within our schools, at work, our homes or our neighbourhoods - is not being properly addressed. Compounding the situation is the inability of SAPS in KZN to ensure proper law enforcement when it comes to sexual offenders. This has led to many victims withdrawing charges and numerous cases being thrown out of court due to insufficient evidence for prosecution. Sexual offences, particularly those against children, also often cause various health issues, in particular mental health issues. This is amplified by little support or protection for victims who come forward to report such cases and who often still have to face their perpetrators on a daily basis. While South Africa's sex offender register is currently unavailable to the public, government, businesses and education institutions are able to access it to vet staff before they are employed. It is imperative that this takes place. Our schools, universities, NPOs, NGOs and those government institutions and businesses that work with vulnerable members of society must vet staff to ensure that they are not exposed to sex offenders. There is however a gap in the system. The sex offenders register only lists those convicted and not those accused or reported for sexual offences. This leaves the door wide open for offenders to access spaces where they can commit further sexual offences against vulnerable populations. This must change. It is clear that in order to be effective, the sex offenders register must become publicly available. It must also include a list for repeat offenders, whether criminally charged or not and a list of those who stand accused – which is not available to the general public – and whose names are then added to the public list in the event that they are found guilty. As part of the KZN's Government of Provincial Unity (GPU), the DA will approach its national counterparts, within both the social development and education sectors, in a bid to lobby for a change in legislation to ensure this takes place. We have long advocated for a whole-of-society approach to deal with South Africa's horrific rape statistics. In KZN, this approach demands that the departments of Health, Education and Social Development work together with NGOs/NPOs, community organisations, businesses, religious institutions, schools, sports clubs and other community groups to educate young people about rape, its effects on society and its consequences. A whole-of-society approach also demands that parents, teachers, neighbours, coaches, youth leaders, religious leaders and businesses partner together to ensure that both adults and children are properly educated and to ensure that appropriate sexual behaviour is maintained in society. This will also assist in reducing KZN's high teenage pregnancy rate and the ongoing and disturbing issue of the abandonment of unwanted babies. Government departments also need to initiate programmes to assist and support those individuals who commit family and sexual violence. Unless this is done, the cycle of violence will perpetuate. Further programmes must also include guidance for parents to help promote better relationships between parents and teenagers, with an accessible link between families and social services to prevent and treat family violence. All forms of sexual misconduct, no matter how minor they be perceived, must be reported and dealt with effectively. Healthcare workers and parents must immediately report any sexual abuse to SAPS – which must ensure that its officers are effectively trained to attend to rape cases with the required sensitivity. As a member of KZN's GPU, we remain committed to working towards a society that takes a firm stand against rape and sexual misconduct. Failure to do so will only see this scourge worsening over time.
The Citizen
06-06-2025
- The Citizen
Teacher dismissed for sexual harassment against Grade 8 pupils
The arbitrator noted that students initially delayed reporting the harassment incidents 'because Siwela threatened them'. A Gauteng high school teacher has been found guilty of sexual assault and harassment of multiple Grade 8 students and dismissed from his position following a lengthy arbitration process that concluded in May 2025. Lindokuhle Siwela, a natural science teacher at Kensington High School, was found guilty on multiple charges of sexual misconduct involving several schoolgirls in 2023. Education Labour Relations Council arbitrator Themba Manganyi ruled that Siwela was unsuitable to work with children and ordered his dismissal as the mandatory sanction. The arbitrator also declared that Siwela be registered as unsuitable to work with children in terms of the Children's Act, effectively barring him from any future employment involving minors. Pattern of misconduct targeting Grade 8 students The charges against Siwela involved a disturbing pattern of behaviour targeting Grade 8D students throughout 2023. The allegations included multiple instances of sexual assault through inappropriate touching, sexual harassment through inappropriate comments and questions, and intimidation of victims who threatened to report him. According to testimony by pupils, Siwela's misconduct extended beyond physical assault to include a system of awarding academic marks based on students' physical appearance rather than their academic performance. Learner ZY testified that during a periodic table project, Siwela 'would allocate them marks based on their body shape'. She recounted how when asked how many marks she deserved, she said 15 out of 20, 'but he said she deserved 18 out of 20 because she was beautiful'. ALSO READ: Police rope in specialised team to probe murder of 14-year-old Lukhona Fose Students testify about harassment Multiple students provided testimony detailing Siwela's inappropriate behavior during the 2023 academic year. The students, whose identities were protected during proceedings, described a pattern of unwanted physical contact, inappropriate sexual comments and threats when they attempted to seek help. Learner AM testified about an incident in which she and another student called Siwela for help with a project. 'Mr Siwela approached them from behind and put his hands around their necks and he held their breasts,' the arbitrator's report said. When questioned about his actions, Siwela allegedly responded that 'he would make them fail'. The same student testified that Siwela told her 'she must date him and that he would take good care of her and that she should stop sleeping with young boys.' Learner SK, who served as a representative council member, testified about particularly disturbing incidents including Siwela's refusal to allow her to use the toilet during menstruation unless she proved her condition to him. 'Mr Siwela refused and said that she must undress so that he could see for himself,' according to her testimony. ALSO READ: Police launch search for teen kidnapped by fake cops in Vereeniging Threats and intimidation tactics Central to the case was evidence that Siwela used his position of authority to intimidate students who might report his behaviour. Multiple witnesses testified that he threatened academic retaliation against students who spoke out. SK testified that Siwela 'threatened her that if she reported him for sexual harassment, he would make sure that she did not write matric'. Similarly, testimony revealed that Siwela told another student 'he would make her life miserable and that he would make her fail' when she indicated she might report him. The arbitrator noted that students initially delayed reporting the incidents 'because Mr Siwela threatened them'. ALSO READ: Abusive Teachers: How do we deal? Teacher's defence collapses under scrutiny During the proceedings, which spanned multiple hearing dates from August 2024 to March 2025, Siwela pleaded not guilty to all charges but offered what the arbitrator characterised as merely 'bare denial' of the allegations. Siwela's testimony was marked by contradictions and admissions that undermined his defence. He conceded that he 'touched learners when he was interacting with them during teaching and learning' but denied inappropriate intent. Regarding specific allegations, Siwela's responses were evasive. On one charge of sexual assault, he stated he 'had nothing to say about allegation 1 as he was not sure whether it happened in full view of the class or somewhere else'. The arbitrator noted that Siwela 'conceded that he could have touched her bum when moving in between the rows, but denied that he smacked her' and admitted that 'allegation 12 could be true because he used to compliment learners who wore full uniform'. ALSO READ: Discipline and learning collapse at Wordsworth High School Arbitrator finds evidence overwhelming Manganyi found the students' testimony credible and consistent, noting that 'all the learners that testified in these proceedings gave a first-hand account of what they knew and they were consistent even during cross-examination'. The arbitrator was particularly critical of Siwela's defence strategy, noting that 'there was no version that was put to them during cross-examination' and that key elements of Siwela's own testimony contradicted his defence. Manganyi dismissed Siwela's claims that the students were disruptive and had fabricated the allegations, pointing out that no evidence was presented of any disciplinary action taken against the student witnesses. The arbitrator noted that 'these learners were in their first year in high school and the reception that they got from Mr Siwela is very appalling to say the least'. 'The evidence that the learners gave was corroborative, consistent and not rehearsed, contrary to Mr Siwela's arguments,' the arbitrator concluded. ALSO READ: School in south of Joburg rocked by sexual harassment claims Mandatory dismissal and future restrictions The arbitrator determined that dismissal was the mandatory sanction given the nature of the violations under the Employment of Educators Act. Manganyi found Siwela to be 'an unsuitable candidate for corrective discipline as he never showed any remorse for his actions'. The ruling emphasised the breach of trust inherent in Siwela's position: 'It is common cause that Mr Siwela was entrusted with the care of children and that it was expected of him to act with the utmost good faith in his conduct towards learners as society must be able to trust him as an educator unconditionally with children.' The ruling also requires notification to the South African Council of Educators regarding breaches of professional ethics. NOW READ: KZN Education welcomes arrest of alleged serial school rapist
