By Mapaballo Borotho

- A Grade 8 pupil at Villa Liza Secondary School in Boksburg has allegedly been sexually assaulted by two male pupils.
- The boys reportedly followed her into the girls’ toilets, where they allegedly restrained her and attempted to remove some of her clothing before fleeing when school staff approached.
- The Gauteng Department of Education says a criminal case was opened and the matter remains under investigation.
A girl pupil from Villa Liza Secondary School in Boksburg, east of Johannesburg, has allegedly been sexually assaulted by two male pupils.
According to the Gauteng Department of Education, the incident allegedly occurred on Thursday, 20 August 2026, when a Grade 8 girl pupil went to the school toilets.
The two male pupils reportedly followed the girl into the girls’ toilets, where they allegedly restrained her and attempted to remove some of her clothing.
The alleged incident was interrupted when members of the school’s general staff approached the toilets while carrying out their cleaning duties. The two male learners subsequently fled from the toilets.
“The matter was brought to the attention of an educator, and the learner’s parents were contacted. Members of the South African Police Service were also called to the school to assist. The school subsequently began efforts to establish the identities of the learners allegedly involved.
The incident report further indicates that steps were taken to open a criminal case at Dawn Park Police Station,” the department said in a statement on Monday, 24 August 2026.
MEC for Education, Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation Lebogang Maile has described the allegations as extremely serious and concerning.
“Sexual violence has no place in our schools. Learners must understand that conduct which violates the dignity and bodily integrity of another learner is not harmless behaviour.
Where criminal conduct is alleged, law enforcement must be allowed to investigate, and where school disciplinary processes are warranted, they must follow,” said Maile.
Maile further called on parents, educators and pupils to work collectively to confront sexual harassment, gender-based violence, bullying and other forms of misconduct in schools.
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