The South African Council for Educators has reported a troubling rise in ethical misconduct cases against teachers, resulting in a backlog and highlighting the need for increased resources and effective investigations to ensure learner safety.
THE SOUTH African Council for Educators (Sace) has reported a troubling increase in ethical misconduct cases involving teachers, resulting in a significant backlog. This situation is attributed to a mismatch between the rising number of cases and the limited financial and human resources available to address them.
Sace chairperson Mabutho Cele stated that the council is actively seeking additional funding and enhancing internal capacity to tackle this challenge.
Despite the overall increase in caseloads, Sace noted a decrease in the total number of misconduct cases against teachers during the 2023/24 financial year. According to CEO Mapula Ella Mokgalane’s report presented in Parliament, Sace received 606 misconduct cases during this period, a decline from the 734 cases reported in the 2022/23 financial year.
When looking at the breakdown by province, the Northern Cape recorded only 10 misconduct cases, significantly lower than other provinces. The Western Cape topped the list with 213 cases, followed by Gauteng with 131, KwaZulu-Natal with 76, and the Eastern Cape with 42. The Free State and North West each recorded 39 cases, while Limpopo reported 30 and Mpumalanga 26.
Assault cases accounted for 291 of the total misconduct allegations, with sexual misconduct following at 110 cases, and humiliation or verbal abuse at 101. Other offences included harassment, fraud, unregistered teachers, discrimination, incitement and racism.
Mokgalane explained that Sace prioritises investigations of serious cases such as sexual and assault offences. The duration of these investigations can be unpredictable, leading to the carry-over of cases from previous financial years. Upon completion, investigations may recommend disciplinary hearings against the involved teachers or close cases due to insufficient evidence, lack of witnesses or other factors.
Some complaints are unable to be investigated if complainants withdraw their cases or become untraceable, making further communication impossible. In certain situations, alternative dispute resolutions may occur, leading to amicable solutions before formal investigations begin.
In total, Sace conducted and finalised 227 investigations, with 68 related to new cases and 159 concerning older cases. The council has also concluded 120 disciplinary hearings, with seven involving new cases and 113 related to older cases.
The council has removed 28 educators from its roll, a slight decrease from the 31 educators removed in the previous financial year. Notably, 22 of these removals were indefinite, meaning those teachers lost their licences to teach permanently.
Mokgalane pointed out that some educators removed from the register were subsequently listed in the Department of Social Development’s register of individuals deemed unfit to work with children. This list includes teachers who committed serious offences such as sexual misconduct, including rape and sexual relations with pupils, as well as severe assaults on learners.
A total of 16 teachers were removed from the roll for sexual misconduct, while 64 faced fines, with their removal suspended for varying periods. Additionally, 14 cases were withdrawn, and nine teachers were found not guilty.
