‘He slapped my butt on school premises’: Former Stellenbosch principal faces sexual assault allegations
A former employee of a primary school in Stellenbosch has lodged a criminal complaint of sexual assault against the school’s former principal.
Image: File/ ANA
A former employee of a primary school in Stellenbosch has lodged a criminal complaint of sexual assault against the school’s former principal, with court proceedings ongoing and internal disciplinary action halted following his retirement.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Cape Argus, the complainant said the incident took place on December 11, 2025 on the school premises.
“He slapped my butt on the school premises. Later, as we were leaving, he grabbed my wrist and asked me to kiss him. I refused. He asked again, and I refused once more. He eventually let go,” she said.
Police confirmed the case was registered at Cloetesville police station on the same day and later transferred to the Stellenbosch Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences unit.
SAPS spokesperson, FC van Wyk, said a 59-year-old man was arrested on December 19, 2025 and appeared in the Stellenbosch Magistrate's Court.
“His last court appearance was on March 3, 2026,” Van Wyk said, adding that further enquiries regarding the prosecution should be directed to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
The Cape Argus reached out to the NPA for comment on Tuesday and awaits a response.
According to the complainant, the matter has been postponed multiple times since December, with the next court date set for May 13.
She said she reported the matter to the Western Cape Education Department on December 12, 2025, including allegations of ongoing sexual harassment dating back to 2020.
The department confirmed the complaint was received on that date.
"Contact was again made with the complainant on January 7, 2026, before the opening of schools on January 12, 2026. The complainant availed herself for a physical consultation on January 20, 2026.
"On January 27, 2026, the alleged perpetrator was served with a notice of the disciplinary hearing."
However, the department said the alleged perpetrator opted for early retirement on March 24.
"The alleged perpetrator faced charges of misconduct.
"The hearing was scheduled for February 24, 2026. The alleged perpetrator submitted a medical certificate, and the matter was postponed by the presiding officer to March 26.
"On March 24, the alleged perpetrator opted to take early retirement. At the time, his representative indicated that the alleged perpetrator was not in a position to participate in the proceedings."
The complainant said she was informed ahead of the March hearing that it would not proceed due to the retirement.
“This means that my case is dropped because the accused no longer works for the WCED. Therefore it is no longer their problem,” she said.
“I feel totally let down by the department. The message it is sending to women is ‘don’t bother because we are not going to help you’.”
An enquiry has been sent to the accused, offering him the opportunity to respond to the allegations. No response had been received at the time of publication.