South Africa’s education system is no stranger to challenges, but a new and deeply disturbing trend is casting a shadow over classrooms: the rising number of sexual offense cases involving teachers. Once seen as pillars of authority and trust, a growing number of educators are now at the center of misconduct investigations that are shaking public confidence in schools.
According to recent data from the South African Council for Educators (SACE), over 190 teachers have been struck off the roll since 2019 for sexual-related offenses. This year alone, nearly 50 teachers have been deregistered, most for misconduct involving learners. It’s a staggering figure that raises troubling questions about institutional safeguards, screening processes, and the culture of silence that often shrouds such abuse.
What makes this crisis particularly shocking is the age of the victims—many are minors. In some cases, learners as young as 12 have reported inappropriate advances, sexual grooming, and even outright assault by the very individuals tasked with nurturing their development. SACE says it receives dozens of complaints annually, but warns that many cases go unreported due to fear of victim-blaming or retaliation.
In schools where resources are already stretched and social workers are few, victims often lack support. Community forums have been awash with stories of girls who dropped out due to trauma, and boys who were silenced by stigma. One high school student from KwaZulu-Natal shared anonymously that her math teacher began sending her inappropriate messages on WhatsApp. When she reported it, she was accused of lying and asked to apologize to the teacher. He’s still teaching.
This environment of disbelief and denial has allowed predators to thrive, often moving from one school to another with impunity. Background checks are often weak, and some school administrators prefer quiet transfers over scandal. “There is a tendency to protect the reputation of the school rather than the well-being of the child,” says a counselor in Johannesburg who works with survivors.
The government insists it’s cracking down. The Department of Basic Education says all provinces have been instructed to take disciplinary action promptly and cooperate with law enforcement. Minister Angie Motshekga recently announced stricter vetting processes and a digital reporting tool for learners. But critics say these measures are reactive and insufficient. “We need prevention, not just punishment,” argues Equal Education, a prominent advocacy group.
Part of the challenge is societal. In many communities, teacher misconduct is dismissed or hidden under a cloak of patriarchy and poverty. Parents may not speak out, fearing retribution or believing their children will not be believed. Girls, in particular, face cultural pressure to remain silent. And when abuse does come to light, victims are often retraumatized by slow-moving legal processes and insensitivity from authorities.
Even the unions have been slow to respond. While the South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU) condemns sexual misconduct, it has been criticized for defending accused members before proper investigations are concluded. Balancing union protection with accountability has become a tightrope.
What’s clear is that South Africa’s schools are in urgent need of reform—not just in curricula and infrastructure, but in their culture and accountability mechanisms. Sexual abuse by teachers is not a matter of bad apples; it is a systemic failure. Addressing it will require courage from all corners—parents, teachers, unions, law enforcement, and the government. In the meantime, students continue to walk into classrooms where some predators wear chalk-stained shirts and carry red pens. And until that changes, the blackboard may as well be a battleground.
