Braamfischerville Primary School is in shock after a serious sexual assault incident involving a Nali’Bali practitioner and a Grade 3 learner. The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) has responded swiftly by severing ties with the organisation.

Nali’Bali is a national reading-for-enjoyment campaign which partnered with the GDE in hopes of propelling South African children's potential through storytelling and reading, more specifically in the foundation phase learning following the transfer of Early Childhood Development (ECD) to Education.

It is alleged that a Nali’Bali practitioner raped a Grade 3 learner at Braamfischerville Primary School on March 24. The incident was reported to the school by the learner’s parent the following day. Upon receiving the information, the school principal immediately recommended that the parent report a criminal case.

Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane expressed deep concern over the incident, describing it as profoundly disturbing, and emphasised that no child should ever suffer such inhumane treatment, especially at the hands of those entrusted with their care and protection.

“Indeed, this is an exceedingly disturbing incident. Our children must never experience such cruelty by some adults who are supposed to assist to develop and take care of them. We remain committed to creating a safe and secure environment for all learners. We will continue to work with law enforcement agencies and relevant partners to ensure that incidents of this nature are dealt with swiftly, transparently, and justly,” said Chiloane.

The GDE clarified that the alleged perpetrator is not one of its employees but a Nali’Bali practitioner, who has since been suspended by the organisation. He was arrested on 28 March. His bail hearing is set for 14 April 2025.

Chiloane also noted that the department had met with the School Governing Body (SGB) to share updates on the situation, and another session is planned for April 12 to help restore confidence and reassure parents and the community about their children's safety.

Provincial education spokesperson, Steve Mabona, stated that the incident comes at a time when the department is actively tackling the broader issue of sexual misconduct in schools, noting that it has been conducting vetting processes for both current school staff and newly appointed employees.

He also revealed that, to date, about 42 cases of sexual misconduct have been reported to the Gauteng Department of Education.

“The status of these cases is that about 19 cases have been finalised, which resulted in about 11 employees being dismissed, four employees were found not guilty, two cases were withdrawn against employees due to insufficient evidence, and one employee resigned while another employee retired from public service

“We have about 23 cases pending finalisation, of which about 15 are at various stages of disciplinary hearings, and 8 cases are still under investigation,” Mabona said.

He also reported that, in all cases, the individuals involved have either been placed on precautionary suspension or reassigned to the District Offices pending the outcome of investigations.

The Star

masabata.mkwananzi@inl.co.za