Busisiwe Primary Rape Case: Bail Application Set for 29 October
The bail application of a 59-year-old teacher accused of raping a nine-year-old learner at Busisiwe Primary School in Zola will be heard in the Protea Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, 29 October 2026, with the National Prosecuting Authority confirming it will oppose his release.
Kabelo Temba handed himself over to police on 21 October 2026 after an outcry over the allegations, and made his first court appearance the following day. The case was postponed for a formal bail application, which the State intends to oppose “given the serious nature of the charge and the fact that it involves a minor”.
THE ALLEGATIONS
According to the NPA, Temba allegedly raped the Grade 4 learner in the school toilets on 6 October 2026. The child disclosed the incident to her mother the same day, but the matter was only reported to police on 10 October 2026.
The delay in reporting and the school’s initial response have been a source of deep anger in the community. Parents protested outside the school after a video of the child recounting the ordeal circulated on social media, demanding action and questioning why the teacher had continued working while the child stayed at home.
MOTHER: “I WANT HIM TO ROT IN JAIL”
The mother of the nine-year-old, who cannot be named to protect her daughter’s identity, said she was relieved the teacher had been apprehended but remained deeply angry about how the matter was handled.
“I want him to rot in jail. I trust whatever my daughter has said is true, even if some people are trying to say it’s not true. I’m standing with my daughter 100%,” she said.
She revealed that her daughter told her the alleged rape was not the first time. “At first, I thought it was bullying. I asked her if there was something wrong happening at school, and she said nothing until she mentioned it on Friday morning, saying that there is something that has been happening in school. And apparently, it’s not the first time”.
The mother also expressed anger that the teacher continued working after she reported the incident. “That killed me because I thought as I went and reported the matter, he would be removed from the school so that my daughter could go to school. But then my daughter was the one sitting at home while the alleged suspect was still going to work as per usual”.
GOVERNMENT RESPONSE
Gauteng Education MEC Lebogang Maile visited the school and attended the court proceedings, initiating a coordinated government response involving the departments of Education, Social Development, Health, and the SAPS.
The teacher has been placed on precautionary suspension, and the learner and her family are receiving psychosocial support, trauma counselling, and access to healthcare services.
Maile vowed to strengthen background checks on teachers going forward. “One of the things we will be doing going forward is to verify when teachers are appointed to make sure that you verify their history, and those who are found to be guilty must be put on a sexual offence register so they cannot be employed anywhere”.
He also urged the public not to interfere with the investigation or judicial proceedings, and called on the media to protect the learner’s identity.
