Eighteen cases of physical and sexual abuse of pupils by teachers – 11 of them at primary schools – have been reported to the provincial department of education between 2015 and this year.
Of the 18 cases received, eight teachers were found guilty.
Two of them were fired for assault and corporal punishment;
One was ordered to pay a R23 000 fine for assaulting a pupil at an East London high school; and
Four were demoted and one suspended.
Of the remaining 10, four resigned and six cases are still not finalised.
This was revealed by education MEC Mandla Makupula in a written response to parliamentary questions asked by DA MPL Edmund van Vuuren.
Education spokesman Malibongwe Mtima said that four of the cases involved sexual assault and 14 were physical abuse cases.
“Eleven were teachers from primary schools and seven were from high schools throughout the province.”..