An Engcobo school principal currently facing seven counts of sexually related charges might be allowed to return to school after the education department cleared him of all alleged crimes, it was reported on Friday.
The teacher is currently on bail of R3000 and will appear in the Engcobo District Court on July 23.
The Queenstown-based regional deputy director of the department, Bangindawo Nkuhlu, confirmed the principal’s lack of guilt at an April 18 Education Department disciplinary hearing.
A Queenstown Education official said the hearing results were forwarded to the provincial Education Ministry in Bisho, tasked with deciding whether or not to reinstate the teacher.
The incidents allegedly took place in Ntabeni near Engcobo during 1990 and the first hearing was set for December 21, 2001.
In February this year, the Education Department called four of the nine witnesses, some of whom charged that the teacher had threatened other school teachers with a firearm.
On April 18 the hearing was wound up and the teacher was acquitted on the four charges that were presented before the inquiry.
Education Department representative Phaphama Mfenyana said the department had not yet made up its mind on whether to allow the teacher back to school.
”Due to sensitivity of the matter, the matter is still considered,” he said.
”Possibly by schools open next month … the decision will have been taken.” – Sapa