Statutory rape charges against a Komani high school teacher who allegedly impregnated a 16-year-old Grade 10 pupil have been withdrawn.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said “there was no reasonable prospect of a successful prosecution” because the two were in a relationship.
The Eastern Cape education department has, however, promised to investigate the “embarrassment”.
NPA regional spokesman Tsepo Ndwalaza confirmed that charges were withdrawn against the 27-year-old teacher.
“During consultation with the prosecutor in the presence of the mother of the pupil, the pupil admitted that she had a relationship with the teacher.
“She even revealed that she used to visit the teacher herself and they were having a love affair,” he said.
Ndwalaza said they found that they could not enrol the matter in court as there was no reasonable prospect of a successful prosecution as they were mindful of the fact that age of consent was 16 and the girl had turned 16 in June.
He said in an attempt to find a solution, the prosecutor advised the mother of the pregnant teen – who cannot be named because she is still a minor – to approach the department of education and report the matter.
The mother said she had reported the matter to the department.
She declined to divulge details of the case, saying she had been warned by a department official against speaking to the media.
However, a person close to the family, who did not want to be named, said the family found out about the relationship between the pupil and her teacher only when they saw a text message on her phone threatening to commit suicide.
Provincial education spokesman Malibongwe Mtima said: “We are embarrassed about the incident.
“It is embarrassing to have teachers who still have relationships with pupils 21 years after the South African Schools Act was released.”
Several attempts to source a comment from the teacher were unsuccessful at time of writing yesterday.
NPA withdraws rape charge
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said “there was no reasonable prospect of a successful prosecution” because the two were in a relationship.
The Eastern Cape education department has, however, promised to investigate the “embarrassment”.
NPA regional spokesman Tsepo Ndwalaza confirmed that charges were withdrawn against the 27-year-old teacher.
“During consultation with the prosecutor in the presence of the mother of the pupil, the pupil admitted that she had a relationship with the teacher.
“She even revealed that she used to visit the teacher herself and they were having a love affair,” he said.
Ndwalaza said they found that they could not enrol the matter in court as there was no reasonable prospect of a successful prosecution as they were mindful of the fact that age of consent was 16 and the girl had turned 16 in June.
He said in an attempt to find a solution, the prosecutor advised the mother of the pregnant teen – who cannot be named because she is still a minor – to approach the department of education and report the matter.
The mother said she had reported the matter to the department.
She declined to divulge details of the case, saying she had been warned by a department official against speaking to the media.
However, a person close to the family, who did not want to be named, said the family found out about the relationship between the pupil and her teacher only when they saw a text message on her phone threatening to commit suicide.
Provincial education spokesman Malibongwe Mtima said: “We are embarrassed about the incident.
“It is embarrassing to have teachers who still have relationships with pupils 21 years after the South African Schools Act was released.”
Several attempts to source a comment from the teacher were unsuccessful at time of writing yesterday.
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