A teacher named by a seven-year-old Grahamstown pupil as her rapist has been suspended, following a public outcry, as new reports emerge that the girl's brother, also a pupil at the school, was raped last week.
A teacher named by a seven-year-old Grahamstown pupil as her rapist has been suspended, following a public outcry, as new reports emerge that the girl's brother, also a pupil at the school, was raped last week.
The education department suspended the teacher on Thursday, following a protest outside the school. Grahamstown district officer for the education department, Amos Fetsha, came to the school on Wednesday after a group of around 30, made up of parents and Rhodes students, held a protest outside.
They demanded that the teacher named by the child be suspended, holding placards with slogans such as Rape is not part of the syllabus, Stop child rape at this school and Suspend the rapist. They expressed outrage at the fact that he was still teaching at the school three weeks after the alleged attack.
Fetsha and his team met with the principal, parents, ward councillor Lena May and the school governing body, after which the parents went outside to address the protesters. They said Fetsha had suspended the teacher with immediate effect for 90 days.
Fetsha said his department would carry on an investigation into this matter and if the suspect is found guilty of the allegations against him they will dismiss him, said community member Patricia May. Officials said the teacher's suspension was based on education department policy, and was carried out regardless of the progress of any criminal investigation.
Grahamstown police spokesperson Captain Mali Govender confirmed that an alleged rape was reported to the SAPS on 2 April. While Grocott's Mail's sources said the rape had taken place in the school's toilets, Govender said a criminal case had been opened for investigation and the details – including the date, time and place of the incident – were still unclear, because several versions of the incident had been furnished.
"This is normal with victims who have experienced an extremely traumatic incident. In order for an arrest to take place, there has to be sufficient evidence linking the suspect to the crime. At this stage the suspect is not known. The investigating officer is in contact with the parents," Govender said.
In another shocking development, it has been reported that girl's brother, also a pupil at the school, was raped last week.
According to Grocott's Mail's source, this attack was also carried out in the toilets at the school. It is not clear whether the boy has named the same teacher as his attacker, however. Eastern Cape department of education spokesperson Loyiso Pulumani said his department had acted swiftly in suspending the alleged teacher after the matter was reported. He said the teacher had been suspended with full pay.
