Parents of learners at Bronkhorstspruit Primary School are demanding the immediate dismissal of the deputy principal and the entire School Governing Body (SGB), following allegations of multiple rape incidents and a severe breach of trust regarding student safety.
The outcry comes after an alleged rape of a Grade 4 learner was reported to have occurred in the school’s toilets last month. However, during a meeting held by angry parents on Thursday, it was revealed that this was not an isolated event.
According to a parent who acted as a committee leader, they were informed of an incident involving a minor girl who was allegedly raped on three separate occasions over the past year. The first incident is said to have occurred a year ago, a second in June, and the most recent on August 12.
Upon learning of the August incident, a group of parents promptly approached the school’s management and the SGB on Friday seeking answers. They expressed shock and disappointment at the response.
The parents allege that the school’s deputy principal and SGB chairperson, treasurer, and executives were aware of the incidents but made a conscious decision not to inform the broader parent community. This lack of transparency, parents argue, is a direct contravention of the law and has deprived them of their right to know that the school environment may be unsafe.
Further, it was revealed that the case of the Grade 4 learner is not the only one. Parents stated they discovered a second alleged victim, a Grade 7 learner at the same school, who was reportedly subjected to a similar assault.
In response, the parent community has called for a campaign for justice for the two girls. They have also advised parents to keep their children at home until safety issues are addressed, emphasizing that this is not an academic boycott but a necessary step to protect children from a perceived ongoing threat.
One emotional parent questioned how they could ever trust the school leadership again, stating, “I bring my child to school to be protected by the teachers… But now if [they are] hiding this from last year, how can we trust you?”
The collective demand from the parents is clear: the immediate removal of the current SGB and the deputy principal. They are calling for new, capable leadership to be installed to restore safety and trust before academic activities can safely continue.
The situation remains unresolved as parents await a formal response from the school district regarding their demands.
