Vaal teacher dismissed for sexual harassment of 14-year-old pupil - TimesLIVE

A 62-year-old technology teacher at a secondary school in Evaton, in the Vaal, has been summarily dismissed and ordered to be placed on the National Child Protection Register after a sexual harassment case at the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC).

Gwinyai Makaure, who chose not to mount a defence against allegations that he propositioned and inappropriately touched a 14-year-old grade 9 pupil around March 2025, abandoned his disciplinary inquiry midway and attempted to escape accountability by resigning.

However, arbitrator John Siavhe, in an award dated September 16, ruled that Makaure’s calculated retreat could not shield him from the full consequences of his actions.

Makaure, who was a technology teacher at the school, initially pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The proceedings commenced on September 26, 2025, and the first witness was the pupil, who testified that when pupils were busy with their projects during Makaure’s period, he called her and requested her friend to bring out a chair for him.

“He then suggested that she come sit with him on the same chair and that she should take a selfie with him. She, however, refused,” the arbitrator said in summarising her testimony.

Makaure later told her he wanted her and that he wanted to date her.

“She was shocked by what the educator, Makaure, was telling her, as Mr Makaure was like a grandfather to her.”

The pupil first reported the incident to her class teacher, who also testified before the ELRC that she escalated the complaint to the office of the deputy principal.

“In our next session, Mr Makaure refused to cross-examine the complainant. I, however, advised him that if he does not challenge the complainant’s testimony, I would accept it as she testified. He agreed.”

Makaure requested to talk to the arbitrator off the record, saying he was ashamed of what transpired. He then requested to be given time to talk to his family.

“Mr Makaure tendered his resignation with immediate effect to the employer on the 9th of July 2026,” the arbitrator said.

The arbitrator found that the Gauteng education department had discharged its onus to prove Makaure sexually harassed the pupil.

He said Makaure opted not to challenge the pupil’s testimony that was corroborated by two other witnesses, despite the arbitrator’s advice that if the teacher chose not to contest the pupil’s version, the arbitrator would accept it to be correct as she testified.

Siavhe also found that Makaure was unsuitable to work with children in terms of the Children’s Act.

He directed the ELRC general secretary to notify the department of social development to officially place Makaure on the National Child Protection Register.