176 teachers found guilty of sexual misconduct: calls for urgent vetting reform

TEACHER unions and political leaders have demanded the immediate dismissal of teachers listed on the National Register for Sex Offenders (NRSO) or the National Child Protection Register (NCPR) as shocking statistics reveal that 176 teachers have been found guilty of sexual misconduct.

With over 80% of teachers still unvetted, experts call the current system 'too slow' and 'failing our children

The call was made after the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) revealed to the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education that between 2021/22 and 2025/26, 176 teachers had been found guilty of sexual misconduct.

Thirona Moodley, spokesperson for Naptosa KZN, said the vetting of teachers was not adequate to curb sexual crimes against pupils, unless it was done on a regular basis.

“Teachers who have been found guilty of sexual misconduct through a formal disciplinary enquiry following the prescripts of labour laws, must be dismissed. Teachers are in loco parentis and must conduct themselves in a manner which is professional and always putting the interests of the child first.

“The vetting of teachers is of no use unless it happens regularly. Currently the system is designed for once off vetting only. A further failure in the system is the Department of Education (DoE) taking a long time to investigate and charge teachers.

“These teachers remain in the school for months before being held accountable. The current systems are failing our children,” Moodley said.

Dr Erna De Lange, chief operating officer of the KZN Governing Body Foundation, said it was time to “clean up” the teaching profession.

“We cannot expose children to people who cannot be trusted. If teachers have been found guilty of sexual misconduct, their employment must be terminated and they should never be allowed in the profession again.

“There is an ethical standard that teachers must adhere to, and if they do not meet the criteria, they should not be in classrooms. It is time to clean up the profession.

“School Governing Body (SGB) employees are, in most cases, vetted and must produce police clearance. The same should be the rule for government employees,” she added.

She said the biggest challenge was that the system was too slow. 

“The department must address problems as they are reported. Investigations take years. Immediate action would ensure that classrooms are safe places.

“Police clearance must be an annual requirement and I think the police are overwhelmed. There has to be a better way. If we can get a man on the moon, there must be a way to streamline the vetting or clearance system,” added De Lange.

Political reaction

Nazley Sharif, DA spokesperson on basic education, said urged all employers in the education sector to take immediate and concerted steps to reinforce vetting processes.

“We need to ensure that no individual listed on the NRSO or the NCPR is appointed to any school environment. The South African Council for Educators (SACE) must also reinforce its internal safeguards to ensure that teachers listed on the NRSO or NCPR are promptly removed from the educators’ register. 

“This measure is vital to upholding the integrity of the profession and ensuring that those who are deemed unsuitable to work with children cannot enter or re-enter school environments.

“The ELRC statistics are concerning. This underscores the need for urgent corrective measures. All employers, including provincial education departments, school governing bodies, and owners of independent schools are legally obliged not to appoint, and to immediately remove from service, any person found on these registers,” she added.

Dr Jonathan Annipen, an IFP councillor in eThekwini, said the statistics were shocking and urgent intervention was needed.

“The data is damning. Of around 405 000 public-school teachers, only about 78 500 (roughly 19%) have been vetted against the NRSO as of March 2025. This means over 80 % of teachers remain unchecked. This is a gross failure to guarantee the safety of our children.

“The law is clear - employers in the education sector must verify the suitability of any teacher or school-staff member before finalising an appointment. 

“They must immediately terminate employment if the individual is listed on NRSO or NCPR.  It is absolutely necessary, to demand the removal of anyone already in the classroom who fails that suitability check.

“Moreover, teachers should without exception be required to obtain a police-clearance before employment. While a clearance against NRSO/NCPR is legally mandated, a police clearance adds an important additional layer of scrutiny that can catch other serious criminal convictions or ongoing investigations that may not appear on those registers. 

“In the interest of safeguarding teachers, there is no justification for employing teachers — whether newly hired or already in post — without full police and register-based vetting,” he added.

Visvin Reddy, MK Party member of parliament, said they fully supported the call for the immediate dismissal of all teachers who appear on the NRSO or NCPR. 

“Individuals who have been found guilty of offences against children have no place in a classroom, no place near vulnerable learners, and no place in the education sector. 

“We also demand that every teacher undergo a full police clearance check before they are employed, and that this clearance must be renewed periodically. Professions with far less responsibility, including security guards and drivers, undergo strict background checks.

“It is unthinkable that those entrusted with the lives of children are not held to an even higher standard. Schools must be sanctuaries of safety, dignity, and trust. Allowing unvetted teachers to operate within the system is reckless and unacceptable,” he said.

Shameen Thakur-Rajbansi, leader of the Minority Front, said they were outraged with the statistics and joined the call for the immediate dismissal of teachers who are listed on the NRSO.

“Teachers who are perceived to be sexual deviants are a stain on society. Pupils look up to them as role models, replacing their parents when they are at school. 

“We demand that this is addressed, and that every teacher is vetted before they are employed. Those who are found to be listed on the child protection and sexual offences registers need to be immediately dismissed,” Thakur-Rajbansi added.

Release of NRSO

Last month, the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development spokesperson Terrence Manase told POST that they were unable to pin a date on the release of the NRSO, but they were prioritising the register’s release.

He said they were in the process of amending sections of the statute which prevented the register from being made public.

 This legislative review, Manase added, was necessary to ensure that the amendments are constitutionally sound and strike the right balance between public access, privacy rights, and the integrity of the criminal justice system.

 He said the consultation process is a critical step to ensure that the final framework is both practical and legally robust. Once that phase is concluded, the department will proceed with the formal amendment process, which will include the introduction of the proposed legislative changes through the appropriate parliamentary processes.

While there is no specific timeframe at this stage, Manase said the department was prioritising the matter and working diligently to ensure that it is finalised as soon as possible. 

He said the department would announce a release date for the register when all processes was completed.

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