Gauteng education department probes alleged sexual remark by teacher at Soweto school

Gauteng Education MEC Lebogang Maile has directed an urgent investigation after a Grade 11 learner at Curtis Nkondo School of Specialisation in Emdeni, Soweto, alleged an educator made an inappropriate sexual remark to her during the second term.

Complaint referred to district office

The school principal referred a sexual harassment complaint to the Johannesburg Central District Dispute Management Office on Friday, August 7, 2026, the department said. The school’s report records that the complaint had formally been brought to the principal’s attention on the same day.

The learner provided a written account describing the alleged interaction and said she became offended and hurt after understanding the meaning of the remark. A second learner who said she was present submitted a statement that substantially supported the allegation.

Educator denies the allegation

The educator concerned has denied making inappropriate remarks. According to the department, his written statement records his denial of the allegation and provides his account of the subsequent engagement at the principal’s office.

Wider concerns and historical claims

Maile said the department had noted broader concerns from learner formations and members of the school community that other educators may be implicated in separate allegations. He said the department would not present claims about the number of educators allegedly implicated as established fact at this stage.

Maile said the department would establish which complaints have been formally lodged, which educators are implicated in each complaint, the nature of each allegation, when each incident was allegedly reported and what action was taken.

The department also noted allegations that complaints involving inappropriate conduct may date as far back as 2022. Maile said these claims would form part of the investigation and that departmental and district records would be examined to determine whether complaints were lodged during that period and how they were processed.

Investigative approach and learner protection

Maile described the allegations as extremely serious and said:

“Schools must be places of safety, learning and development. No educator or official has the right to use a position of authority to sexually harass, exploit, intimidate or violate a learner. Equally, no person entrusted with a complaint from a learner has the right to sweep it under the carpet.”

The department said it would determine, based on the investigation and applicable employment processes, whether precautionary measures were required against any implicated employee, noting that such measures should not be interpreted as a finding of guilt before processes conclude.

Maile emphasised that learners who report misconduct must be treated with dignity, sensitivity and confidentiality and warned against victimising those who come forward.

Support, records and cooperation

Departmental records from April 2026 show a psychosocial team visited Curtis Nkondo School following the death of a Grade 12 learner and provided learners with psychoeducation and opportunities to discuss their experiences. During that intervention, learners said they sometimes felt misunderstood or dismissed and expressed a need for educators to receive support.

Maile called on parents, learners, learner formations, educators and anyone with information relevant to the allegations to cooperate with the investigation and to formally report any additional allegations so they can be documented and investigated.

He also appealed for caution in public discussion to protect the identities of affected learners and said the department would continue to work with the school, district officials, learner-support structures and, where warranted, law enforcement and child protection authorities.

Maile concluded:

“We will neither protect perpetrators nor prejudge allegations. Our responsibility is to protect learners, establish the truth and ensure accountability. Every learner who enters a Gauteng school must know that their dignity, safety and right to education are non-negotiable.”