More than a third of education employees in the Western Cape have been submitted for vetting against the National Register for Sex Offenders (NRSO), according to figures presented by Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Andries Nel during an awareness event in Mitchells Plain on Friday.
Nel said 16,279 applications had been submitted for vetting across the province, amounting to 34% of education employees in the Western Cape.
He was addressing stakeholders at Princeton High School, where 10 schools were recognised for having fully complied with NRSO vetting requirements.
The NRSO was established under the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act 32 of 2007. It records the names of individuals convicted of sexual offences against children and other vulnerable persons and enables employers in sectors such as education, childcare and healthcare to verify whether prospective employees are suitable to work with vulnerable groups.
“The NRSO exists because every child and every vulnerable person deserves to be safe, and because the state has an obligation to protect the most vulnerable among us,” Nel said.
He described the vetting of school personnel as a safeguard rather than an administrative formality, saying it was intended to ensure that individuals placed in positions of trust do not pose a risk to learners.
According to figures shared at the event, 369 schools in the Western Cape were successfully vetted for the year concluding 2025. These include 33 schools for learners with special educational needs and 336 public schools.
Nel said the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development is considering possible legislative amendments to make aspects of the NRSO accessible to the public, but emphasised that any changes would need to remain within constitutional limits.
The schools recognised for full compliance were Princeton High School, Cedar Secondary School, Encotsheni Primary School, Spine Road High, Portland Primary School, Masiphumelele Primary School, Beacon School, Noluthando School, Agape School and Khayelitsha School.
The visit followed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address last week, in which he stressed the importance of strengthening safety and security across the country.
Nel said ensuring safe learning environments formed part of government’s broader constitutional obligation to protect children and other vulnerable persons.
Cape Argus
Murray Swart
iol.co.za