A school security guard has been suspended after a video clip, allegedly of him fondling a Grade 12 pupil, went viral.
The cellphone footage was made a year ago but only emerged on social media platforms two weeks ago.It comes from Ntafufu Senior Secondary School in Lusikisiki.
Provincial education spokesperson Loyiso Pulumani said the department had only learnt about the incident two weeks ago when the footage came to light.
“The learner never reported the incident. “It was only brought to our attention when the despicable video went viral,” he said.
The security guard, 67, was placed on suspension last week by the head of the department, Themba Kojana, on charges of making sexual advances to a pupil.
According to the department, the incident took place over a weekend.
The pupil and another two girls had apparently been at the school and had requested water from the guard.
A preliminary report by the OR Tambo coastal district director, Varkeychan Joseph, states that the pupils entered the premises and the guard approached the pupil and is seen in the video fondling her.
Pulumani said after the matter was brought to their attention, the department sent a team of investigators to the school to ascertain the facts. “The district team, working with the school governing body and the school management team, followed up the matter.
“A preliminary report submitted to the department by the district director led to the school guard being placed on precautionary suspension with full pay, pending investigation.”
Kojana has vowed to speed up the investigation. The matter has not yet been reported to the police. This is the sixth school staff member to be suspended on allegations of sexual misconduct involving pupils in four months.
In September, five staff members from St Matthews High School in Keiskammahoek were suspended on allegations of having sexual relations with the female pupils living at the school’s boarding facility.
The five – including a senior staff member, three teachers and a clerk – were accused of sleeping with the girls and even impregnating two of the girls.
The allegations at St Matthews were brought to the media and public’s attention when a group of Grade 11 pupils shut down the school, staged a protest and spoke out about the allegations.
The implicated staff members were subsequently suspended.
One was arrested on charges of sexual assault and later released.
On Tuesday, Pulumani told the Dispatch that the investigation into the St Matthews matter had been finalised and a report forwarded to the department’s head office in Zwelitsha.
Pulumani said the outcome would be communicated once the department acted on the report...