By Levy Masiteng
The Gauteng Department of Education recorded 22,020 child abuse, learner protection and related cases across its reporting, counselling and investigation systems between 2023 and 2026.
The figures were disclosed by Gauteng Education MEC Lebogang Maile in a written reply to questions in the Gauteng Provincial Legislature about mechanisms available to learners to report abuse and access support services.
ALSO READ: Malatsi puts rural digital inclusion at centre of Eksteenskuil Computer Centre launch
According to the department, 18,843 cases were recorded through its 24-hour helpline, 3,022 by the Learner Psycho-Social Support Directorate’s clinical counselling service and 155 were reported to the Special Investigations Directorate (SID).
“The total number of child abuse cases reported over the past ten years is not available. However, a total of 22 020 cases were reported during the period 2023 to 2026,” Maile said in his written response.
The figures cover a range of learner safety, protection and wellbeing concerns within and beyond the school environment.
The department’s records include physical, emotional and sexual abuse, rape, attempted rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment, neglect, bullying, gangsterism, discrimination, domestic violence, substance abuse and mental health-related cases.
Among cases recorded by the Learner Psycho-Social Support Directorate’s clinical counselling service were 695 rape cases, 423 sexual assault cases, 74 sexual harassment cases, 398 domestic violence cases, 369 neglect cases, 256 emotional abuse cases and 179 physical abuse cases.
The 24-hour helpline recorded 3,960 emotional abuse cases, 2,006 physical abuse cases, 1,995 deliberate physical neglect cases, 1,936 deliberate emotional neglect cases, 681 harassment cases, 665 involving exposure to domestic violence, 571 involving child starvation, 376 sexual assault or abuse cases and 344 rape cases.
The SID received 155 cases over the reporting period, including 15 corporal punishment cases, seven cases involving educator bullying of learners, two cases of learner assault by educators, three cases of sexual abuse involving educators and four involving principals.
Its caseload also included allegations involving racism, discrimination, gangsterism, learner fights and other serious misconduct.
“The Gauteng Department of Education has established multiple formal mechanisms to enable learners to report incidents of abuse and to access appropriate psycho-social and protective services,” Maile said.
ALSO READ: CETA partners with V&A Waterfront in ambitious new skills project
He said 118 social workers had been deployed to schools through a partnership with the Gauteng Department of Social Development to intervene in abuse and child protection cases.
“All schools have established School-Based Support Teams, which serve as the first point of receipt and management of reported cases. Cases received by School-Based Support Teams are referred, where appropriate, to social workers and District-Based Support Teams for further intervention and support,” Maile said.
The department said turnaround times varied according to the complexity of matters and the availability and willingness of witnesses.
The Democratic Alliance said the absence of a standard measure of investigation times made it difficult to assess whether cases were being handled promptly.
DA Gauteng education spokesperson Sergio Isa Dos Santos said the figures highlighted the scale of learner protection concerns in the province and called for stronger case-monitoring systems.
“The department’s failure to provide the average turnaround time for investigations is concerning. This lack of transparency makes it impossible to assess whether allegations of child abuse are being investigated or whether vulnerable learners are receiving the protection they deserve,” he said.
Dos Santos said the party would write to Maile requesting the introduction of a centralised case-tracking system with enforceable investigation deadlines.
“Every parent deserves to know that no matter which school their child attends, reports of abuse will be tracked properly, investigated timeously, and escalated to relevant authorities,” he said.
He said a DA-led Gauteng government would introduce a learner protection system under which every abuse report would receive a reference number and be tracked from start to finish, while urgent cases would be referred to the South African Police Service, social workers and psychologists.
The party also wants stronger vetting of educators and staff and regular training on learner protection.
Maile said learners could already make reports anonymously through toll-free and confidential channels used by the department and its partner organisations.
“Anonymous reporting systems are currently available to learners through the existing toll-free and confidential reporting platforms utilised by the Department and its partner organisations,” Maile said.
