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The Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) strongly condemns the alleged sexual assault of a learner in Pimville, Soweto as reported in the Sowetan of 5 December 2012. As a secondary parent to the learner, the teacher should have been exemplary and teach the girl issues of principles instead of subjecting her to pornographic material, later only to assault her sexually.

It is also regrettably that during the 16 Days of Activism of no violence against women and children, a girl child has to endure such at the hands of someone who was meant to protect her. As a Commission, we reiterate our disgust at this unfortunate incident that also seeks to strike fear for parents that their children are no longer safe at the hands of those that they have entrusted to protect them.

The Commission calls upon all stakeholders to allow due processes to take place without any interference. We also call upon the Department of Basic Education to set a precedent out of this case, so as to send a strong and unequivocal message that abuse of learners cannot be tolerated. The CGE will be monitoring the case closely.