Update: 28 January
The Grade 4 teacher from Zeekoevlei Primary School has appeared in court following an alleged assault involving a learner, as both criminal and internal education department processes move forward in parallel.
Police have confirmed that a 60-year-old female educator was arrested earlier this month and later warned to appear in the Wynberg Magistrates’ Court on the 27 January, as per the South African Police Service.
‘Kindly be advised that a 60-year-old female was arrested on Wednesday, 21 January 2026, for assault and was warned to appear in the Wynberg Magistrates’ court on 27 January,’ SAPS stated
The teacher, who cannot be identified due to legal and ethical considerations, made her first court appearance on Monday. The matter remains at an early stage, with no findings yet made.
SAPS has indicated that further information regarding court proceedings and future dates will be communicated by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
Meanwhile, alongside the criminal case, the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has initiated its own internal labour investigation, as reported by the Daily Voice.
The department has stressed that the educator has not been found guilty and that due process must be allowed to unfold.
WCED Director of Communications Bronagh Hammond said the matter is currently being handled by the department’s Labour Relations sub-directorate.
‘The alleged assault incident involving a Grade 4 teacher is currently under investigation by the Labour Relations sub-directorate. At this stage, we are unable to provide further details, as the matter forms part of an active internal process,’ she said.
Hammond reiterated that both the labour and criminal processes remain unresolved.
‘We wish to emphasise that the educator has not been found guilty in either case. Both the labour investigation and the criminal proceedings are still in their early stages, and outcomes are yet to be determined.’
Education officials have also confirmed that the teacher had no previous disciplinary history related to corporal punishment or abuse.
‘There have been no previous complaints of corporal punishment, abuse, or assault against this educator,’ Hammond said.
She added that the department views any allegation of corporal punishment as serious and encourages reporting where concerns exist.
According to the Daily Voice, the incident has also drawn a strong response from parent advocacy groups. Vanessa le Roux, who is the founder of Parents for Equal Education (Peesa), said the organisation was deeply concerned.
‘We have a major issue at Zeekoevlei Primary. We are sitting with a teacher that is abusing our kids in the school. We will not stand for this oppression.’
Cape Town police confirmed that teacher at Zeekoevlei Primary School in Lotus River is under investigation following an alleged assault on a learner, reports Cape {town} Etc.
According to a statement from SAPS Media Liaison Officer Constable Ndakhe Gwala, Grassy Park police registered a case of assault common on Monday, 19 January 2025.
‘According to reports, a teacher hit a ten-year-old male victim with a duster on his back,’ Gwala said, adding that the circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation.
At this stage, no arrests have been made.
The reported assault comes at a time when Zeekoevlei Primary School has already been under scrutiny, following concerns raised recently about severe overcrowding at the school.
As previously reported by Cape {town} Etc, parents and education activists flagged a situation in which 76 learners were placed in a single Grade 7 Afrikaans class, prompting intervention from the Western Cape Education Department.
The department subsequently acknowledged the pressure caused by staffing shortages and confirmed that district officials had visited the school to address class structures and timetabling challenges.
While the two matters are not formally linked, the alleged assault follows shortly after heightened attention on conditions at the school, with parents and community members calling for urgent action to ensure both learner safety and a supportive learning environment.
Police have urged anyone with information relevant to the investigation to come forward as inquiries continue.
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