NOMVELO MKHWANAZI
Durban - Pupils from a high school in Clermont are gathered outside the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court where a teacher is expected to appear on alleged rape charges.
Clad in full uniform, the pupils from the school carried placards calling for the teacher to be denied bail.
The picket follows the arrest of their school teacher who is accused of sexually harassing some pupils.
The pupils were singing revolutionary songs, with the suspect's photograph pasted on the placards with the words "Sekwanele Manje" which translates to "enough is enough."
Ward committee member from Clermont, Lungelo Sithole alleged that the suspect in had previously been arrested for similar allegations.
"The suspect was arrested back in 2011 for the same rape allegations, but he was then granted bail. We will make sure that today he doesn't get bail, we will make sure that justice is served," said Sithole.
Its is alleged that the teacher would seize the pupils' cellphones at school and ask them to come fetch them at his home, and request that they come alone so that he could rape them.
The pupils outside court said that they wanted justice to be served and the accused not to be granted bail.
Police spokesperson Constable Thenjiswa Ngcobo confirmed the arrest saying that it was alleged on March 16, 2022, a 16-year-old victim was raped by a 55-year-old man in Clermont.
“A case of rape was opened at KwaDabeka SAPS and the docket was transferred to Pinetown FCS Unit for investigation. The suspect was arrested on April 22, 2022.”
Daily News