UDESMO calls for justice and protection for learners across South Africa!
Statement by Lucia Matomane, UDESMO Eastern Cape Provincial Chairperson
The United Democratic Students’ Movement (UDESMO) is horrified by the continuing violation of children in schools by those who are meant to protect them.
The recent flood of cases, from St John’s College in Mthatha (Eastern Cape), to Tiyelelani Secondary in Soshanguve (Gauteng), from St Bernard High in Bloemfontein (Free State), to Thubalethu Secondary in Pinetown (KwaZulu-Natal), and Sunward Park High in Boksburg (Gauteng), shows that what should be a place of learning has become a hunting ground for predators hiding behind the title of “teacher.”
We cannot pretend these are isolated incidents. Girls as young as 12 and 14 are being preyed upon. They are being impregnated, forced into abortions, infected with diseases, and threatened into silence. These crimes are ripping futures away from young people before their lives have even begun.
The pain and anger of learners are boiling over. When pupils are forced to protest and shut down schools just to be heard, it shows the system has failed them. The silence of adults who should act faster is part of the problem.
But there are signs that justice can prevail. In one case, a teacher who impregnated a learner, infected her with HIV, and then tried to escape responsibility was struck off the roll and ordered by a court to pay maintenance. That is what it looks like when the law works — but it should never take this long, and it should never be the exception.
UDESMO demands more than words of sympathy. We demand:
• No bail for accused teachers; our children’s lives matter more than the freedom of predators.
• Swift prosecutions and maximum sentences for offenders.
• Educators found guilty of sexual offences against learners must be struck off the roll and permanently listed the National Child Protection Register.
• Real support for survivors in the form of counselling, protection, and dignity.
We say enough is enough. Our schools must be safe. Our teachers must be trustworthy. And our generation refuses to accept a future where classrooms are places of fear.
