In her briefing at the Uyinene Mrwetyana commemorative lecture on Monday, Gwarube addressed the issue, stating, “Schools are meant to be places of safety, places of learning and places where parents leave their children to get an education, not to get raped.”

She called for urgent measures to protect pupils, asserting that "Justice must be served but more must be done to protect our schools and society from sexual predators."

Gwarube also highlighted her collaboration with Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi to amend laws so that everyone working with children in schools undergoes vetting against the NRSO.

"We must not only be angry, but we must let our anger lead to action.''

IOL previously reported that initially, Kubayi said the register would be made public by the end of February.

However, on March 1, the department indicated that due to legal rules about confidentiality, the release of the register cannot happen just yet.

Kubayi revealed that the register currently lists 32,557 convicted sex offenders, with an additional 10,456 potential entries pending in various courts.

Bosa acting spokesperson Rodgers Solomon expressed the party’s support for the Minister's decision, stating, "This is a crucial step toward making our schools safer and ensuring that sexual predators have no place near our children."

However, Bosa emphasises that commitments alone are not enough. Solomon further stressed the need for a comprehensive plan of action.

"The Minister must now release a comprehensive plan of action, with clear timelines and accountability mechanisms, to ensure this policy is swiftly and effectively implemented."

employee vetting

Child safety first | Bosa applauds Gwarube's push for urgent school staff vetting