The parents of a young girl who was allegedly sexually abused by a teacher assistant at Emo Primary School in Winterveldt, Pretoria, claim that the very systems that are supposed to protect their child have abandoned and betrayed them.
The grade seven learner’s father told Sunday World that the family has opened a criminal case against the teacher assistant.
However, the family was left heartbroken and frustrated after learning that the case against the teacher assistant has been quietly withdrawn.
For the parents, the experience has left them feeling helpless and disillusioned.
They say their 13-year-old daughter has lost trust in the system and no longer feels safe at school, a place meant to protect and nurture her.
The teacher assistant allegedly used inappropriate language towards the girl before touching her breasts.
Criminal case withdrawn
According to the father, the police did not inform the family that the case they had opened had been dropped until Monday.
“This is devastating because we did not communicate enough with the police for them to withdraw this case,” said the father.
“They claimed to have spoken to four witnesses, but they do not include the two witnesses we know, one who reported the matter to the teacher and another one who came to tell us about this sexual harassment.”
He stated that they reported the incident to the police on August 25, a day after another learner informed the family about the inappropriate touch on their daughter.
When they confronted their daughter, she confided that she had been too afraid to speak up due to a warning not to inform her parents.
The family brought the case before the Tshwane West education district two days later, on August 27.
However, by September 1, the father claimed that the accused offender had returned to school, which caused his daughter to stay at home in embarrassment and fear.
The learner has only attended school twice, even though this is a crucial time for year-end exams that could earn her a spot in high school.
Disciplinary hearing
“I received a call from my daughter’s math teacher telling me that she is not well and I should come and fetch her,” the father said.
“While I was still asking questions, he hung up on me. I realised then that even teachers are ill-treating my daughter.
“According to what I later learned, she has been receiving this treatment ever since we went to report the incident. Her EMS teacher has also reportedly prodded her out of the classroom.”
The father went on to say that the district’s institutional development and support official did not provide much assistance, merely mentioning that they were looking for a different school for their other two children in lower grades.
According to the father, a disciplinary hearing took place on September 16 without the district’s or the social workers’ knowledge.
While the child was represented by the school governing body, even though one of its members was directly related to the accused teacher assistant, the family was instructed not to attend the proceedings.
Gauteng police spokesperson Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi confirmed the case was withdrawn.
“That is a sexual assault and crimen injuria case that was withdrawn by the prosecutor on October 17, 2025, as nolle prosequi [a formal notice of abandonment by a plaintiff or prosecutor of all or part of a suit or action],” said Nevhuhulwi.
Principal accused of cover-up
Matakanye Matakanye, the general secretary of the National Association of School Governing Bodies, said there are serious concerns about how the school handled the matter.
He accused the principal of failing to follow proper procedures, saying the case should have been reported to the institutional development and support official for a fair investigation and disciplinary process.
“The principal is covering up; she must be exposed. There are many wrongs happening at that school. Expose the principal and report the matter urgently to the department,” said Matakanye.
He added that if the school governing body was involved in the hearing, any conflicted member should have recused themselves.
Gauteng education department spokesperson Steve Mabona had not responded to a request for comment by the time of publication. When he responds, we will include his comment in the story.
