Curbing Teacher Sexual Misconduct: An Assessment of Reported Cases to the South African Council for Educators between 2019 and 2022
Simangele Mayisela 
, Phumuzani Mpofu , Tuzana Sophethe & Ella Mokgalane
Issue: Vol.6 No.6 Article 16 pp. 865 – 879
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.20256616 | Published online 23rd May, 2025
© 2025 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Keywords: Sexual misconduct, school, child, teacher, SACE
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Dr. Simangele Mayisela, is a Senior Lecturer and the Educational Psychologist in the Department of Psychology, at the University of the Witwatersrand. She was a three consecutive years Next Generation Social Sciences in Africa fellowship holder for her Doctoral degree, which she obtained from the University of Cape Town. She is currently lecturing Psychoanalytic psychotherapy and Play Therapy at Masters level and Cognitive Psychology at undergraduate level. Her research interests are embedded in the appropriation of the Psychoanalytic and the Cultural Historical Activity Theory as epistemological lenses to understand nuances of parent-child, teacher-child relations, and intergenerational violence and trauma, with specific reference to corporal punishment.
Dr. Phumuzani Mpofu is an Educational Psychologist registered with the Eswatini Medical and Dental Council. He holds a PhD in Educational Psychology from North West University and is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of the Witwatersrand. His research spans child development, parenting, gerontology, inclusive education, gender issues, sexual offenses, assessments, sustainable development, and corporal punishment. He has published 25 peer-reviewed journal articles, a book chapter on teacher placement during teaching practice, and developed a module on School Inspection for the Institute of Development Management (IDM). Dr. Mpofu began his career in teaching, progressing to leadership roles as Head of Department in schools and colleges across Zimbabwe and Eswatini. In higher education, he served as a research coordinator at AMADI/MSU, supervising numerous research projects from diploma to master’s level. He has peer-reviewed over 10 academic articles and actively mentors PhD candidates and emerging researchers, especially in Eswatini. His goal is to contribute extensively to academia and attain a professorship.
Ms. Tuzana Sophethe is a Strategic Planning, Monitoring & Evaluation Specialist with extensive experience in the education sector. She holds a BA in Governance and Political Transformation from the University of the Free State, an Honours degree in Public Administration from the University of South Africa, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Monitoring and Evaluation from Stellenbosch University. She is currently pursuing a Master’s in Management in Monitoring and Evaluation at the Wits School of Governance. Her career began as a Junior Lecturer and facilitator in Public Management at the University of the Free State, followed by a role as Deputy Director for Strategic Planning and Reporting at the Department of Basic Education. At the South African Council for Educators, she has led significant projects, including the development of the Handbook of Teachers, Safety and Security (2020), and the creation of a nationwide Teachers’ Virtual Library. She has presented research at various international platforms and currently heads Planning, Monitoring & Evaluation, and Research at the Council, while also serving as Acting Head of Ethics and Professional Development since 2024.
Ella Mokgalane is the Chief Executive Officer of the South African Council for Educators (SACE), which is responsible for regulating and professionalising the South African teaching profession, counting half a million teachers. She is a qualified teacher and holds a Master of Management in Public Policy and a Master in Educational Leadership and Management.
Mayisela, Simangele, Phumuzani Mpofu, Tuzana Sophethe and Ella Mokgalane. “Curbing Teacher Sexual Misconduct: An Assessment of Reported Cases to the South African Council of Educators between 2019 and 2022,” E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 6, no.6 (2025): 865 – 879. https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.20256616
© 2025 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Journals. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
