Former Free State school principal appears in court on charge of failing to report abuse

According to IOL, former school administrator and pastor Izak Greyling (55) appeared in the Excelsior Magistrate’s Court in the Free State on 14 July 2026 on a charge that he allegedly failed to report the sexual abuse of a vulnerable person. The matter has been before the courts since 2020 and proceedings were postponed to 10 November 2026 for further hearings.

Allegations and court timeline

According to IOL, the current charge relates specifically to an alleged failure to report suspected abuse of a vulnerable person. The case remains before the courts and Greyling is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

School response and resignation

When the allegations first surfaced, Greyling was serving as principal of Ezekiel Christian School in Tweespruit and later as school administrator. After media enquiries by Die Son, the school informed parents that he had been suspended pending an internal investigation. According to IOL, he resigned before that internal process was completed.

“Yes, Izak did resign,” current principal Leon Sounes told IOL.

According to IOL, Sounes said the school investigated and “the conclusion was Izak resigned from the school. The school sees the matter as concluded.” Sounes also told IOL that Greyling no longer has any involvement with the school.

Community concern and reporting

According to IOL, the case has raised concern in the Tweespruit community about child protection and the reporting of suspected abuse. A counsellor who provides therapy services told IOL that several people had approached him with concerns relating to Greyling and that he had attempted to report the information to the South African Police Service but was allegedly told he could not open a case because he was neither the parent nor the victim; IOL has not independently verified that interaction with SAPS.

According to IOL, a second independent source also confirmed that similar concerns had been raised by community members, although those accounts have not been tested in court.

Private investigation and institutional ties

According to IOL, in 2025 private investigator Ben Almero said he opened his own investigation after being approached by a concerned community member and later established a dedicated tip line to encourage potential victims and witnesses to come forward.

According to IOL, Greyling remains associated with Agape Community Church, the governing body of Ezekiel Christian School. Pastor Alan Ogilvy, head of the Free State chapter of The Christian Network, told IOL he trusted the leadership of Agape Community Church to deal with the matter appropriately.

Past proceedings

According to IOL, this is not the first time Greyling has faced criminal proceedings. In 2019 he appeared in court on charges relating to allegations that he had sexually abused a five-year-old child in 2004. That case was ultimately removed from the roll without a conviction after repeated delays, with some witnesses passing away and others failing to appear.

Next steps and how to report concerns

According to IOL, Greyling is due back in the Excelsior Magistrate’s Court on 10 November 2026. IOL also reported that Greyling was contacted for comment but did not respond by the time of publication.

According to IOL, anyone with information relating to the safety of a child can report concerns to the South African Police Service, the Department of Social Development or a designated child protection organisation.