Impatient MEC keen to deal with teacher who impregnated KZN schoolgirl

A rural school in the foothills of the southern Drakensberg is in the midst of a sex scandal.

Education department officials are probing allegations that a teacher impregnated a pupil and then forced her to have an abortion.

KZN education department MEC Mthandeni Dlungwana led a delegation of officials to the Amazizi Secondary School on the outskirts of Bergville on Friday.

"A parent from this school had made allegations that a teacher had been engaged in a sexual relationship with a learner. She was pregnant and was forced to abort the child, and now is no longer able to attend the school because of threats that she received," he said.

"We conducted this urgent visit and, on short notice, we were able to meet the school’s management and governing body, as well as the local councillor and the induna," he added.

Dlungwana said he had heard the concerns of the community and had obtained details of a parent and learner who would be at the centre of the sex probe.

"The management tell us they know nothing about these allegations and neither the learner nor her parents have come forward. It seems that the school is not aware of anything."

"I have taken the decision to appoint a team to investigate. We have details of a learner and a parent, and we will protect them. I have instructed our team to ensure that I have a report within a week," he said.

A visibly annoyed Dlungwana said he’d had ambitions of suspending the alleged culprit immediately.

"I wanted to come here today with a suspension letter for the teacher in question so we can proceed with our probe without his interference but we didn’t have enough information to act swiftly. However, we will finalise this without delay,” Dlungwana said.

"We want our parents to know that we will be the protectors of their children, and we will eliminate these elements from within our ranks."