LEBOGANG SEALE
A SOWETO principal is considering legal action against SA Democratic Teachers Union regional secretary Ronald Nyathi for making defamatory remarks against her at a public gathering.
Nomadlozi Sekobo, the principal of Julius Sebolai Primary School in Bramfischerville, alleges that Nyathi publicly vilified her by calling her “the mother of a rapist and child molester”.
She claimed that Nyathi made the disparaging utterances on Friday during the union’s Soweto North branch AGM, at which new leaders were elected. The meeting, attended by more than 1 000 members, was held at the Albertina Sisulu Hall in Orlando West.
Sekobo, whose son faced a charge of rape, was among the candidates who contested the elections against leaders said to be “mere puppets and cronies of Nyathi and chairman Moss Senye”.
Sekobo is furious that Nyathi made the utterances despite charges against her son being withdrawn by the Protea Magistrate’s Court in November last year because of a lack of sufficient evidence. Nyathi was the electoral officer during the meeting.
“His duty was to oversee the (election) process, but he flouted the rules to attack me personally. It’s clear he was referring to me because the matter (rape allegation) is widely known among other teachers. If he is fighting me, why drag my son into his battles?” Sekobo asked.
She added that Nyathi’s utterances left her feeling humiliated.
“He kept on repeating it, asking members why they supported a person… whose child is a rapist and child molester. As he said this, other members kept staring at me,” she said.
More humiliating, Sekobo added, was that many in the hall applauded as Nyathi spoke.
“I never felt so embarrassed. I asked myself if all these people (applauding) were not parents, because only animals and hooligans would have clapped such negative and harmful statements.”
Nyathi’s utterances, she said, also reinforced her suspicion that her son was framed as a ploy to discredit her because of her ongoing battles with Nyathi and Senye’s camp.
“Firstly, the charges were laid three weeks after the alleged incident. When we went to court, neither the complainant nor her relatives came. Who would suffer the pain and degradation of being raped and then abandon the case like that? It’s clear they’re targeting me through him,” Sekobo said.
She is also angry that Nyathi made the remarks before an internal investigation by the Department of Education against her son, who is an administrative assistant at another school.
“We are still waiting for the verdict, but someone has the nerve to publicly declare that I am the mother of a rapist. Is he saying he is privy to the investigation and that he already knows my son is guilty?” she asked.
Nyathi refused to comment.