Question NW3992 to the Minister of Basic Education
15 December 2017 - NW3992
Boshoff, Ms SH to ask the Minister of Basic Education
(1)Whether, with reference to her reply to question 2511 on 5 October 2017, a report has been received from the investigator regarding the Krugersdorp High School; if not, by what date is it expected; if so, what are the relevant details; (2) whether the educator from the Prince Tokoto High School has been discharged from hospital; if not, what is the prognosis; if so, have the investigations commenced; (3) what charges have been preferred against the principal of the Mphaphuli High School; (4) what was the outcome of the hearings which were held on 21 and 22 September relating to the Manyano Primary School; (5) what is the nature of the developments in the criminal case against the alleged educator of the Parktown Boys High School?
Reply:
(1) The complaint was investigated by the South African Council of Educators (SACE) on 7 September 2017. The investigator, after conclusion of the case, recommended that no charges be levelled against the accused educator and furnished his reasons for the findings (Case 135/2017-GP).
(2) The educator in question was charged by SACE with 53 counts of applying corporal punishment on the learner. She has been placed on medication by her doctor, Dr Lugongolo for 6 months with effect from 08 August. This means that she may be fit for work in February 2018 and all that is known is that she has a mental condition. We tried contacting the school to ascertain her status, but the only number available keeps ringing unanswered and the landline number is no longer in service according to Telkom. The school is Prince Dokodoko High School (Case 119/2016-KZN).
(3) Without having to repeat the full reading of the charges, the Principal of Mphaphuli Secondary School was charged with three (3) charges:
- The first one was for refusing to cooperate with a SACE investigator;
- The second one was for refusing to grant the investigator access to the educators in the school; and
- The third one was for refusing to grant the investigator access to the learners or complainants in the school.
The hearing was scheduled to take place on 10 November 2017, but was postponed as his representative was engaged in arbitration on the day in question. The hearing will proceed in February 2018 (Case 133/2017-LP).
(4) The disciplinary hearing was finalised on 20 November 2017 and the presiding officer promised to furnish his report by 09 December 2017 (Case number 476/2016-MP).
(5) We have been informed by the school that the matter was postponed in court until January 2018. The accused will appear again in 2018.