Court hears Iain Wares deny knowing students amid serious abuse allegations

Former SA teacher Iain Wares, 86, who handed himself over to authorities last month, in the latest consolidation of charges relating to sexual and physical abuse of 65 boys, with an indictment listing 90 charges in the UK, has denied knowing male learners he taught while being shown photographs of them taken decades ago.

According to Women and Men Against Child Abuse (WMACA) has been attending and monitoring proceedings in the Wynberg Regional Court, where Wares is currently making court appearances.

Wares is facing a separate case, dating back to four decades ago involving an allegation of indecent assault of a former learner of his at Rondebosch Preparatory Boys.

Wares denied the claims while taking the witness stand in October.

The local victim, dubbed "Stephen", took the witness stand a year ago, claiming he was abused by Wares who had been his teacher during 1988.

Wares is accused of indecently assaulting the male victim by touching his buttocks and penis and rubbing his penis up against the victim.

During further cross examination this week, Wares denied knowing any male learners seen on photographs while being questioned by the state.

WMACA said Wares functioned as an under-10 A and B rugby coach, and later as a Grade 7 Geography teacher—meaning he taught and coached the complainant over a four-year period.

"In court, he conceded that at the time he "made a point of remembering names… it made them feel special" and maintained detailed seating plans for every learner," said WMACA.

"Yet today, faced with photographic evidence and pointed questions, he repeatedly claimed not to remember the complainant, despite acknowledging that he knew him "then.

"The State confronted these contradictions directly. When presented with a 1985 rugby team photograph, where Wares is unmistakably positioned as the only adult among a group of small boys, he was unable—or unwilling—to identify the child he taught, coached, and interacted with consistently. The same pattern emerged when shown the Grade 7 class photograph: he recognised the era, the staff, the context, yet again claimed the children's faces "meant nothing" to him now.

"The State argued that this "I don't remember" defence functions as a convenient strategy to avoid answering substantive questions.

"Wares testified that he taught approximately 2,700 boys over his career—a number he now deploys to justify his inability to remember individual children. Yet he specifically recalled certain cricket players, including those who went on to become well-known figures.

Closing arguments are now scheduled for February 19 2026.

WMACA's Director Miranda Jordan said: "Survivors have carried these memories for decades. Institutions must carry the responsibility."

WMACA's Advocacy Manager Luke Lamprecht added: "I was very impressed with the prosecutor's cross examination. She put it to Mr Wares that his memory loss is a convenient way to escape accountability and avoid answering the State's questions"

Earlier the National Prosecuting Authority's Eric Ntabazalila, spokesperson confirmed Wares was arrested and appeared in court charged with 90 new counts which include 60 counts of sexual assault, four counts of rape, 25 counts of assault and a count of crimen injuria," Ntbazalila stated."The alleged crimes were committed in the 1960s and 1970s. They involved teenage boys in Edinburgh, Scotland. Wares was granted R10 000 bail on the same day.

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