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Teacher charged by 8 pupils

A 45-year-old Durban teacher who was initially accused of raping a pupil now faces 17 similar charges involving eight alleged victims, the Umlazi Regional Court heard on Wednesday.

The man, who may not be named, was one of five teachers suspended by the KwaZulu-Natal education department in April for alleged sexual misconduct involving several female pupils at a high school in Umlazi.

The department's Mbali Thusi said the five teachers, who allegedly sought sex in return for money and alcohol, would be formally charged for sexual misconduct sometime this week.

Wearing a light blue shirt and black pants, the accused entered the dock with a pen and book in his hand. As the bail application got underway, the teacher took notes as those in the front of the courtroom spoke.

Various charges against him
State prosecutor Dumisani Nxumalo said the teacher faced one count of rape, six counts of sexual assault, seven counts of crimen injuria, two counts of corporal punishment, and one count of sexual groping.

The charges were laid by eight girls, all pupils at the school and above the age of 18. In one charge, the teacher is accused of kissing a pupil on the ear and proposing that they become lovers.

In another charge, he is alleged to have told a pupil he had a dream of her sucking his penis and him sucking her vagina. There were several similar charges laid. The teacher is also accused of contravening the Schools Act by hitting two victims.

Nxumalo said the state only opposed bail on the rape count. In the rape case, a 19-year-old pupil claims she helped the teacher carry books to the school's science laboratory in August last year when he forced himself on her. The case continues. – (Sapa, June 2009)

Read more:
Helping a rape survivor
Rape survivors: plan of action

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