A female teacher at a special needs school in Saldanha Bay, Western Cape, has been dismissed from her position and declared unsuitable to work with children following findings that she engaged in explicit sexual discussions with grade 9 pupils. The educator, identified only as Ms D Jones, who served as a departmental head at the West Coast Special School since 2018, faced multiple charges of misconduct related to comments made during the second or third term of 2025.
The Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) inquiry, presided over by commissioner Jacques Buitendag, heard testimony from the school principal, teachers, and several minor pupils (referred to as Learners A to F to protect their identities). Witnesses described how Jones initiated conversations of a sexual nature, including remarks about the size of boys’ genitals, instructions on sexual acts, and personal details about her own intimate life. Specific examples included comments such as telling pupils they were “small and don’t know when to pull out,” references to using a vibrator, and statements about satisfying a woman.
One incident reportedly occurred during a touch rugby session when Jones approached a group of pupils and interrupted their conversation with explicit remarks. A male teacher who overheard the discussion reported feeling deeply uncomfortable and filed a formal complaint. Pupils testified that Jones made these comments both in class settings and outside, sometimes in the presence of female learners, causing discomfort among the group. The school serves pupils who are mildly intellectually disabled, a factor highlighted by the principal as increasing the seriousness of the breach of trust.
Jones denied the allegations during the hearing, claiming she had walked away from inappropriate conversations and suggesting some pupils had disciplinary issues or reasons to fabricate testimony. However, she provided no supporting witnesses and failed to offer a credible explanation for why multiple staff members and learners would collude against her. Commissioner Buitendag ruled that the allegations were proven on the balance of probabilities, describing her conduct as “inappropriate, disgraceful and unacceptable” and contrary to the best interests of the learners.
The Western Cape Education Department had suspended Jones pending the outcome. The arbitrator emphasised her lack of remorse or acknowledgment of wrongdoing as a key reason why continued employment was untenable. Jones was dismissed with immediate effect and added to the list of individuals unsuitable to work with children. She had appealed the initial decision but the ELRC upheld the department’s actions as fair and procedurally correct.
The hearing was conducted with sensitivity to the minors involved, including the presence of a registered counsellor as an intermediary, and proceedings took place in Afrikaans. This case underscores broader concerns regarding educator conduct, particularly in environments supporting vulnerable learners, and the mechanisms in place through the ELRC to address such serious breaches of professional ethics.
