The departments of Basic Education and Justice are involved with the vetting of teachers to ensure learners are in safe classrooms without sex offenders. In the last article we did, only 19% of teachers in the country had been vetted. (Photo: Gallo Images / News 24) More than 119,000 teachers across seven provinces have yet to be vetted against South Africa’s National Register for Sex Offenders, despite the process having started in 2023 as part of efforts to protect children in schools. Figures obtained by Daily Maverick from provincial education departments reveal that progress in vetting educators remains uneven, with administrative delays, backlogs and lengthy processing times slowing implementation.
The findings come a year after Daily Maverick reported that only 19% of SA’s public school teachers had been vetted against the National Register for Sex Offenders. At the time, just over 78,000 of the country’s 405,738 teachers had received clearance certificates, leaving 81% unchecked.
Provincial education departments told Daily Maverick that thousands of teachers were still awaiting clearance certificates. They also confirmed that cases involving sexual misconduct identified through investigations were referred to labour relations processes and, where necessary, the South African Police Service (SAPS).
The National Register for Sex Offenders, established in 2009 and maintained by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, contains the records of individuals convicted and sentenced for sexual offences against children and vulnerable persons. The National Child Protection Register, maintained by the Department of Social Development and designated child protection organisations, records children under the age of 18 who require care and protection.
The Department of Basic Education has previously stated that mandatory vetting of current employees against the National Register for Sex Offenders commenced in 2023 and remained ongoing. Training on the National Child Protection Register was provided to human resources practitioners in provincial education departments during October and November 2022.
The provincial breakdown of teachers vetted versus those not vetted is:
Provinces | Vetted | Not vetted |
| Western Cape | 11,311 | 23,357 |
| Northern Cape | 2,244 | 8,973 |
| Mpumalanga | 9,659 | 27,492 |
| Gauteng | 8,357 | 56,997 |
| Free State | 27,598 | 2,458 |
| North West | 16,250 | 12,334 |
| Eastern Cape | 2,707 | 56,832 |
Responses from Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal had not been received by the time of publication.
Administrative hurdles slowing progress
Western Cape Education Department spokesperson Bronagh Hammond told Daily Maverick that delays often stemmed from incomplete applications and the lengthy process of obtaining supporting documentation.
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Christi-bonita-khayelitsha-UCT-4.jpg "The Department of Basic Education has initiated mandatory vetting since 2023, yet only a small percentage of teachers have received clearance certificates. (Photo: Christi Nortier)")
“This is an extremely lengthy process and though the majority of officials completed their applications, if not in the format prescribed or there are signature missing, must be returned to schools.
“In addition to the individual application forms that are to be completed by the official and educator, the SAPS need to provide a Police Clearance Certificate. This is a timeous process, taking anything between one to four months to be provided, which has caused many of the delays in the processing,” said Hammond.
She said the department had several screening mechanisms in place before educators were appointed.
“This includes verification of their identity document, criminal profile and qualifications. They are also vetted against the National Child Protection Register from the Department of Social Development. The Western Cape Education Department checks the government’s employee records system, Persal, to establish whether a potential employee who previously worked for the government was ever convicted of an offence, including sexual offences,” said Hammond.
The North West Education Department blamed the SAPS and the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development for the slow progress of vetting. Spokesperson Dr Elias Malindi said: “We have 1,635 applications which are non-compliant. We also have 7,252 which are still outstanding from the department. Slow processing of applications from SAPS, slow processing of applications by the department due to lack of resources, at times lack of electricity and understaffing [are all problems],” said Malindi.
The Mpumalanga Department of Education cited similar challenges. Spokesperson Jasper Zwane said some administrative obstacles had slowed implementation.
“Non-compliance with prescribed submission standards and instances where applicants are required to resubmit documents following technical rejections. Such circumstances inevitably result in delays and additional administrative processes… Any findings arising from the vetting process are subjected to the necessary legal and administrative procedures before appropriate action is taken,’’ said Zwane.
In the Northern Cape, Education Department spokesperson Geoffrey Van der Merwe said the province was still awaiting responses from both SAPS and the Department of Justice.
“Four hundred and fifty-three have been submitted to the South African Police Service (SAPS) for the generation of SAPS 69i reports (Clearance certificates). No applications have been rejected by SAPS. To date, 88 SAPS 69i reports have been received, while the remaining submissions are still being processed by SAPS.
“One hundred and eighty-eight applications have been submitted to the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development for verification against the National Register for Sex Offenders. No applications have been rejected due to duplication or incomplete information. A total of 2,678 National Register for Sex Offenders certificates have been received from the Department. A total of 183 applications are still outstanding for processing and feedback,” said Van der Merwe.
Teachers found guilty
The Education Labour Relations Council confirmed that educator misconduct cases continued to be referred for adjudication. Council media manager Bernice Loxton revealed that a significant number of teachers had been found guilty following disciplinary processes.
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/iStock-1426892839.jpg "Implementation delays are attributed to administrative hurdles, backlogs, and slow responses from the police and justice departments. (Photo: iStock)")
“The cases referred to the council for the 24/25 financial year are as follows: 114 cases, 67 awards (59 teachers found guilty). The cases referred to the council for the 25/26 financial year are as follows: 139 cases 50 awards (40 teachers found guilty).”
Justice Department weighs in
As the custodian of the National Register for Sex Offenders, the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development said it continued to work with other government departments to process vetting requests.
Department spokesperson Palesa Rammitlwa said: “The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development works collaboratively with government departments, including the Department of Basic Education, to facilitate access to information contained in the National Register for Sex Offenders in line with legislation… While the department cannot confirm figures reported by another department, it continues to implement measures to improve the processing of requests relating to the register.”
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Mbizana001.jpg "Teachers found guilty of misconduct after disciplinary processes highlight ongoing issues within the vetting system and its impact on school safety. (Photo: Deon Ferreira)")
She added: “At present, there are ongoing reviews to ensure that the balance between protecting children and respecting privacy rights is maintained. Any future changes to access protocols will follow the appropriate legislative and policy processes.”
Meanwhile, the South African Council for Educators said it conducted vetting of applicants before professional registration, including police clearances and qualification verification. Asked what action was taken when applicants were found to have previous sexual offence convictions, spokesperson Risuna Nkuna said: “The council does not employ any educators and has no jurisdiction in terms of the recruitment process.”
The council’s 2024/25 annual report highlighted governance and operational challenges. It noted instances where criminal record checks, qualification verifications and reference checks had not been performed. The report also pointed to a growing number of ethical misconduct cases, increasing pressure on the council’s human and financial resources. Delays in filling critical vacancies had further constrained its ability to respond effectively.
“The transition to digital registration processes exposed vulnerabilities in ICT infrastructure and heightened risks of fraudulent documentation, demanding additional resources and expertise,” read the report. Daily Maverick also sent questions to the Department of Basic Education and SAPS.
No response had been received by the time of publication. DM