Mother of three alleges former St John's teacher molested all her sons

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A Joburg mother, clearly distraught, said all three of her sons were allegedly molested by a former St John’s Preparatory School teacher who is now facing a slew of sexual assault charges.

The 52-year-old man appeared before the Johannesburg High Court on Wednesday for a pre-trial hearing. He faces a total of 25 charges, including sexual assault, grooming, and child abuse.

The woman, whose children are among the alleged victims of the former teacher, said the violations of her sons happened between 2005 and 2013. Her three siblings are among a dozen other boys who have laid similar charges against the 52-year-old.

The mother of three said the alleged sexual assault of her children began when they were aged five, nine, and 12, respectively. She noted that it was only in 2012, when her eldest son turned 24, that he reported the sexual allegations.

Her son revealed that the teacher allegedly molested him at a camp in the North West. This confession subsequently led to more victims speaking out about incidents that occurred at various locations during school outings.

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“It was rock climbing, water polo, hockey, and pastoral care,” she said. “He was the head of pastoral care; we trusted him with our children, given that that was his role at the school.”

The 52-year-old man was arrested in 2021 and released on R10,000 bail. His cases from other provinces are being consolidated ahead of a trial in the Johannesburg High Court.