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TimesLIVE Premium reports that a Northern Cape teacher who was dismissed for having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a 15-year-old pupil has failed in a bid to save her job.
The teacher took the provincial education department to the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC), contending she “did not breach any rule as alleged by the employer”. The teacher, who had taught at a high school since January 2017, was accused of dishonesty when interviewed by a labour relations manager about allegations she had been involved in a sexual relationship with the minor. She was also charged with contravention of the Employment of Educators Act for allegedly committing statutory rape. She argued the rule she allegedly breached was not consistently applied and she was not “given a hearing on the alleged misconduct”. The teacher was dismissed on 11 November last year after a two-day hearing held in her absence in October. The ELRC arbitrator heard the teacher “was not present at the hearing and it is common cause she made no attempt to apply for postponement”. She approached the ELRC for “retrospective reinstatement”. On Monday the ELRC arbitrator ruled the teacher was “unsuitable for corrective discipline as she never showed remorse for her unacceptable conduct”. The ruling reads: “Society must be able to trust her unconditionally as an educator. Due to the serious nature of the misconduct committed on or around January and February 2024, the employee is summarily dismissed from the employ of the department of education Northern Cape. Dismissal is mandatory under the circumstances.”
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Philani Nombembe at TimesLIVE Premium (subscriber access only)
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