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Sexual assault allegations at Joburg schools raise learner safety concerns

todayOctober 27, 2026 33

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The latest sexual assault allegations at Johannesburg primary schools have renewed concerns about whether children are adequately protected in the very places where they should feel safest.

The concern follows allegations at Naturena Primary School, where two learners reportedly disclosed sexual assault, and comes less than a week after a teacher appeared in court in connection with the alleged rape of a nine-year-old learner at Busisiwe Primary School in Soweto.

Teddy Bear Foundation director, Shaheda Omar, says the incidents must prompt more than public outrage, calling for decisive action, stronger safeguarding systems and accountability from the adults and institutions responsible for protecting children.

Omar says every allegation must trigger an immediate safeguarding response, including ensuring the affected child’s safety and access to medical care and psychosocial support.

“Sexual violence between learners must never be dismissed as ‘child’s play’,” she says, stressing that allegations involving coercion, force, intimidation, exploitation or a significant power imbalance require assessment by appropriately trained professionals.

At Naturena Primary School, Grade 4 boys were allegedly sexually assaulted by older Grade 7 learners in the school toilets.

The allegations prompted protests by parents and community leaders outside the school on Monday. Protesters called for the principal’s removal, alleging that she had attempted to silence the children.

Gauteng Education MEC, Lebogang Maile, confirmed on Tuesday that investigations are underway into the two alleged incidents, which had been referred to the South African Police Service (SAPS).

The department has also requested a comprehensive report from the school to establish the circumstances surrounding the allegations, how they were handled and whether the required protocols were followed.

Maile expressed concern about the disruption of teaching and learning amid the community’s frustration.

“The right to protest cannot be exercised at the expense of children’s constitutional right to education. We expect law enforcement authorities to act decisively against unlawful conduct that prevents learners from accessing education,” said the MEC’s spokesperson, Onwabile Lubhelwana.

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    Sexual assault allegations at Joburg schools raise learner safety concerns Realeboga Nke

 

Omar says the Naturena allegations raise important questions about supervision, reporting procedures and whether children feel safe enough to disclose abuse.

She warns that children’s disclosures must never be dismissed, minimised or treated as an inconvenience. Schools, she says, should not attempt to handle allegations of sexual offences internally or rely on disciplinary procedures alone.

The allegations follow the case at Busisiwe Primary School, where a 59-year-old teacher appeared in the Protea Magistrates’ Court in Soweto on a charge of rape involving a nine-year-old learner.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) confirmed that the matter was postponed to 29 October 2026 for a bail application.

The teacher has also placed on precautionary suspension by the department, pending the outcome of disciplinary proceedings.

While accountability is essential, Omar says cases involving learners accused of harming other children require a careful, developmentally informed response. She says the affected child must be protected, while the circumstances and needs of the child alleged to have caused harm must also be assessed.

Omar argues that schools need effective safeguarding systems rather than relying on zero-tolerance statements after incidents occur.

These should include appropriate supervision in vulnerable areas, clear procedures for escalating allegations to authorities, proper screening of personnel working with children, age-appropriate education on consent and personal boundaries, and access to psychosocial support.

Maile has appealed to the public to allow law enforcement investigations and the judicial process to unfold without interference or prejudice.

“We cannot allow moral decay, sexual violence and the abuse of vulnerable people to become normalised in our communities. We must restore our collective conscience, strengthen family and community values, and stand together against all forms of abuse,” he said.

For Omar, the central question is whether these incidents will lead to sustained changes in how schools prevent abuse, respond to disclosures and hold the relevant adults and institutions accountable.

Written by: Realeboga Nke

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