Dismissal for teacher found guilty of sexually harassing pupil

A teacher who sexually harassed a grade 11 pupil by touching her thighs and lifting her skirts on several occasions, and when confronted threatened the principal, has been dismissed. 

In an award made by the Education Labour Relations Council last week, the arbitrator found Edward Mogodu Manzini unsuitable to work with children and that his name must be entered into the National Child Protection Register.

Manzini, who taught physical science at Amogelang Senior Secondary School in Soshanguve, faced two counts. 

One was of “conducting himself in an improper, disgraceful and unacceptable manner”, in that while on duty, he sexually harassed TBS, a grade 11 learner by touching her thighs and lifting her skirt. This happened on several occasions in February this year.

The second count was that on May 16 this year while on duty, he conducted himself in an improper, disgraceful or unacceptable manner by uttering swear words towards the school principal when he said: “O tlile go nkitsi pila, o nagana gore o selo mang? O kase nkubisi mmerekong wena,” translated to, “you will know me well, who do you think you are? You cannot make me lose my job.” 

Manzini denied knowing the pupil and making those remarks.

The pupil, 17, testified at the commission that she was sent by a teacher to collect books at the science laboratory. 

“She found Manzini sitting alone in the lab. He touched her thighs and lifted her skirt without her consent. He told her that they call him daddy. She was uncomfortable and ran out of the lab after the incident. She asked a boy to help her collect the books,” the arbitrator Mmamahlola Rabyanyana said in her award. 

The next day, TBS went to the lab looking for a teacher who owed her R30 from a previous athletics trip and did not find that teacher. Instead, she found Manzini alone and he approached her and touched her thighs. She asked him three times what he was doing before she left the laboratory. 

She first reported the incident to a grade 7 teacher and later to her mother, who reported it to the school principal.  

Solomon Manabile, the school’s acting principal, testified that when TBS’s mother reported the incident, he invited a Sadtu site steward and another teacher Norman Sekwele to the meeting. The men later excused themselves to allow TBS and Masete to discuss the matter as women.  

“They felt TBS was afraid to express herself in the presence of male educators and her mother,” the arbitrator said. 

The following day, Manabile said Manzini barged into his meeting with the senior management team and circuit management team without permission and said: “You will not succeed in your tramp case that will make me lose my job.” 

Manabile said the action made him feel threatened and unsafe at school. Manabile said Manzini was confrontational and disrupted the meeting. Manabile said if Manzini had a problem, he should have approached him after the meeting or during the briefing sessions.

In his testimony, Manzini denied knowing the pupil. He said Manabile informed him about the sexual harassment allegation on May 15 2024. 

Manzini said he went to Manabile’s office to ask him why the statements on how Manabile reported the incident to him and how he reported it to the district office were contradictory.  

Manzini said he was angry, frustrated and depressed and he was not aware that the district officials were in a meeting. He said he requested Manabile to see him when the meeting was over.  

Manzini said he uttered these words: “I want to see you after the meeting, o batla go njesa mmereko (I want to see you, you want me to lose my job).” He denied threatening Manabile. 

Manzini also denied sexually harassing the pupil. He denied that he was staying in the laboratory and said he only went there to collect and return the teaching apparatus.  

He said he revolved between the classroom and his car.

“During breaks and free periods, he sits in his car. He adopted the attitude of not staying in the lab,” Rabyanyana said. 

In its closing arguments, the department said the three teachers who usually stayed in the laboratory and who testified that Manzini did not use the lab did not monitor Manzini’s periods and therefore they could not conclude that Manzini never stayed in the lab. 

The arbitrator said she found Manzini’s alibi defence to be improbable.  

“His version and that of his witnesses that as a physical science educator, he only went to the lab to collect the apparatus to conduct experiments is a fallacy. I reject his version that he used his car as a station during break time and in between classes,” Rabyanyana said. 

Rabyanyana said Manzini’s witnesses tried hard to protect him by fabricating an improbable story.  

“These educators were not always in the lab and could not know what occurred in their absence. If the incident was for a specified time and date their version could have been treated differently. The alibi is fabricated.” 

The arbitrator said sexual harassment was prohibited in all department institutions.  

“Manzini failed to act as [in place of a parent]. He violated the rights of the learner by touching her thighs and lifting her skirt. The department spends money to train educators on sexual harassment and the code of conduct. Manzini cannot be trusted.” 

On the second count, Rabyanyana said Manzini did not respect authority.  

“He shouted at the school principal and disrupted the meeting attended by the district officials.” 

Rabyanyana said Manzini did not show any remorse during the entire process.  

“He did not plead guilty even after realising that the employer had overwhelming evidence to prove his case. Dismissal is an appropriate sanction to send a strong message to perpetrators of his calibre.”