KZN department to investigate sexual assault claims after 600 pupils protest

The KwaZulu-Natal department of education has deployed a team to investigate sexual assault allegations at Grosvenor Girls’ High School on the Bluff.

Pupils protested at the school on Friday and Monday, calling for a teacher to be dismissed after he allegedly sexually assaulted and harassed pupils.

When a video of students protesting outside the school on Friday was shared on social media, education spokesperson Kwazi Mthethwa said the department was not aware of the incident and called on pupils to use the appropriate channels to voice their grievances.

KZN SAPS spokesperson Capt Nqobile Gwala told TimesLIVE that a case of assault had been opened at Brighton Beach police station, after about 600 pupils disrupted classes following the alleged assault of a 16-year-old.

After another protest on Monday, this time involving parents, the department sent a team to the school.

When asked if the teacher accused of the assault would be suspended pending the investigation, Mthethwa said: “The first part of the investigation is to gather information. We are still doing that process today [Tuesday], so I can imagine the people conducting this investigation will need more information.”

In May last year the education department sent a delegation to the school after a parent wrote to then KZN premier Willies Mchunu about allegations of racism.