Department investigating video of teacher who made two pupils kiss

An infamous kissing video in which a teacher apparently holds the heads of two Holy Cross High matric dance pupils and then pulls them together, causing the pair to smooch, is being investigated by the provincial education department.

The 22-second clip, which went viral on social media, shows the two teens kiss as the screams of other matrics thunder in the background.

When DispatchLIVE visited the Mthatha school on Wednesday, the two pupils were in a meeting with education department officials, while the teacher was said to have left the school grounds in the morning.

Acting principal Wele Madikizela said the school owned up to the incident and would support the teacher, who he said was one of their best educators.

“We have spoken to the pupils [that what is important is they must not judge each other and do focus on the coming trial exams],” said Madikizela.

“That’s what keeps us going because we didn’t judge [the teacher]. The impact thereof is not that much because of the support we give each other.

“The department, however, has a right to judge the teacher if there is a case.”

He said the school invited education social support services to provide counselling for the two pupils as they were most affected by the circulating video.

Provincial education spokesperson Malibongwe Mtima said the department did not condone the behaviour shown in the video.

“As a result, a team will be sent to the school to investigate this matter and action will be taken after the investigation has been finalised,” said Mtima.

The video was shot on August 2 in the school hall, the venue for the matric dance.

In the video, the two pupils stand side by side at the front of the queue to get inside.

A woman, said to be the teacher, goes up to them and pushes their heads together in a kiss, then celebrates with gusto afterwards.

Congress of South African Students (Cosas) regional chair Siseko Mbiza condemned the incident.

“Our belief is that at school we are children and therefore cannot do such things,” he said.

Petros Majola, of the Khula Children’s Rights Organisation, said the teacher had acted irresponsibly.

“A matric farewell is a celebratory event for the pupils for the 12 years they spend in school. A school is a place of teaching and learning and not kissing,” said Majola.

“We have asked the department of education and the South African Council for Educators to investigate this matter,” he said.