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The scholar patroller accused of sexually assaulting 87 pupils at AB Xuma Primary school in Soweto has abandoned his bail application.
The 57-year-old man was set to apply for bail today at the Protea Magistrates’ court.
Magistrate Ronald Zakwe was told that the man was instructed to abandon the bail application pending the finalisation of investigations around the case.
Parents and community members who attended the court proceedings were pleased that the patroller had abandoned his application.
The case has been postponed to November 1 while the investigations continue.
The man currently faces three counts of rape and five counts of sexual assault.
The state says only 15 learners have provided written statements so far and that more pupils have been interviewed, adding that it’s likely that additional charges will be added.
On Monday, Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi said an investigation would be launched into every scholar patroller at Gauteng schools.
Lesufi said no scholar patroller would be allowed at any school in the province from next year without being assessed.
“The government will not tolerate anyone who abuses children. From January 1 2018, if you have not gone through the process then we don’t want you in our schools,” Lesufi said.
Gauteng Premier David Makhura has also attended to the matter of sexual assault at schools. He appointed an executive committee last week to deal with sexual abuse at schools following investigations into five schools where scholar patrolmen were implicated in a number of cases.
