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SADTU condemns in the strongest terms possible the conduct of the Reiger Park Secondary School principal who is appearing on a video sexually abusing learners.Such conduct from a teacher cannot be tolerated for it is downright unprofessional and criminal.

It shames us as teachers that some within our profession do not see our learners as their children but as potential sexual partners.Teachers who engage in inappropriate relations with learners do not belong to our profession. These heartless and senseless individuals steal the future of our learners by compromising the learning and teaching environment.

As SADTU we would like to make it categorically clear that we stand on the side of society and the teaching profession. We have a vision to build a better society and teachers play a crucial role in building that society. Parents entrust us with their children with the hope that we will protect them from any harm. We therefore cannot afford to let them down. As an organisation that is at the fore-front of advancing the rights of the girl child in particular, we refuse to be associated with such individuals.

We are therefore calling for criminal charges to be instituted against this principal and for him to face the full might of the law.  We further call on the South African Council for Educators (SACE) to take action against him even though resigned from his position in order to ensure that he is permanently removed from the teaching profession.

We further call on, the Department of Basic Education, Reiger Park Secondary School teachers and the community to give the affected learners unconditional support as they come to terms and deal with this harrowing ordeal.

Issued by SADTU Secretariat