- Only about 49,000 educators, which is roughly 12% of all educators, had been vetted against the National Child Protection Register by March 2025.
- The report found that one in five children has experienced sexual abuse, while one in three has experienced physical abuse.
- SECTION27 says urgent action is needed to stop unsuitable people from working with children and to improve school safety.
As National Child Protection Week, observed from May 29 to June 5, comes to an end, SECTION27 has released a report warning that serious weaknesses in South Africa's National Child Protection Register undermine efforts to protect children from violence and abuse, especially in schools.
The report, Protecting the Future Today: The Need for an Efficient National Child Protection Register to Curb Violence Against Children, examines whether the register is fulfilling its purpose of preventing unsuitable people from working with children.
SECTION27 found that more than 15 years after its introduction, the system remains severely underused, raising concerns about children's safety in schools and other settings where adults are responsible for their care.
According to the report, only about 49,000 educators had been vetted against the National Child Protection Register by March 2025. This figure represents approximately 12% of South Africa's educators. SECTION27 says the low vetting rate means thousands of people working with children might not have been screened against a register specifically meant to identify individuals found unsuitable to work with them.
Violence against children remains one of South Africa's most serious human rights challenges. The report highlights research showing that one in five children has experienced sexual abuse, one in three has experienced physical abuse, and one in six has experienced emotional abuse. Between 2021 and 2022, 45% of South African households with children reported some form of violence against children.
Violence affecting children across South Africa
The report reveals the alarming scale of violence faced by children. Statistics South Africa data cited in the report shows that child rape cases increased by 6.3% between 2015/16 and 2019/20, while child sexual assault cases rose by 1.4% during the same period.
SECTION27 notes that violence occurs in homes, communities, and schools, but schools are particularly important because they should provide safe spaces for children to learn and grow. Instead, the organisation says many learners continue to face abuse, including corporal punishment, assault, and sexual violence.
The report emphasises abuse committed by educators and school staff. Teachers hold positions of authority and trust and are expected to act in students' best interests. However, SECTION27 says this power imbalance can make it hard for children to report abuse and can leave learners vulnerable when proper safeguards are not in place.
Recent findings from the South African Council for Educators (SACE) support these concerns. According to its 2024/25 annual report, incidents of assault, corporal punishment, and sexual abuse of learners increased during this period. The report also noted that the rise in corporal punishment and sexual abuse reflects a trend seen over several years.
Corporal punishment accounted for 46% of complaints lodged with SACE during the 2024/25 financial year, despite the practice being illegal.
Register meant to protect children
The National Child Protection Register was created under the Children's Act as one of South Africa's key child protection measures. It records individuals found unsuitable to work with children and aims to help employers keep those individuals from accessing children through jobs or other activities.
SECTION27 explains that the register's effectiveness relies on proper coordination between the Department of Social Development, the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, the Department of Basic Education, provincial education departments, and school governing bodies. Schools and education authorities are expected to vet current and potential employees against the register and report findings that may justify a person's inclusion on it.
The report concludes that weaknesses in implementation have greatly reduced the register's effectiveness. Despite its importance in keeping children safe from abuse, the system remains underused and poorly enforced.
SECTION27 warns that schools should be safe environments where children can learn, grow, and become future leaders. The organisation says failures to properly implement the National Child Protection Register continue to expose children to risks and allow unsuitable individuals to remain in situations where they have access to vulnerable learners.
To tackle this issue, SECTION27 has urged the government to quickly ensure that all current and prospective education employees are vetted against the register, that findings against unsuitable individuals are properly reported for inclusion on the register, and that more training and awareness are provided to ensure compliance with legal obligations.
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