An outcry has met the sentence of a Port Elizabeth teacher who tried to sign his name on schoolgirls’ buttocks, the Herald Online reported on Wednesday.
It said the matter also raised questions about the employment screening process at schools.
Newell High School life skills teacher Mafa Chauke was this week sentenced to three years’ correctional supervision after he was convicted on two counts of indecent assault and four of crimen injuria.
Chauke (34) was also placed under house arrest and ordered to attend rehabilitation programmes.
He was acquitted on three other charges of crimen injuria. Chauke allegedly started making indecent suggestions to girls aged between 12 and 13 within days of starting work at the school in February, 2002.
The court heard how he approached two girls as they were perusing a magazine after class and put his signature on the breast of a ”semi-naked girl” pictured in the magazine.
”As we were going outside Chauke started to pester us,” one of the girls told the court.
”He was telling us that he was very determined to put his signature on our bums.” she said.
Chauke denied the charges, telling the court that certain teachers at the school had been determined to get him out.
Prosecutor Wellington Sampisi said principal Lizo Baartman was facing disciplinary action for employing Chauke illegally and for not consulting his staff members before taking him on.
Education department spokesperson Loyiso Pulumani said Chauke would be blacklisted.
”We must make sure we protect pupils in the future so they don’t come into contact with him,” Pulumani said. – Sapa