Terrence Mawawa, Chiredzi| A teacher at a local school fled to South Africa after raping a Grade 7 pupil several times.

Goodwill Gwata disappeared from Mhlanguleni Primary School in fear of being arrested for sexually abusing the minor.

Police in Chiredzi said they arrived at the school when Gwata had already vanished.

“The teacher who was fingered for the abuse was nowhere to be seen when the cops arrived at the school. The said teacher forcibly had sex with the minor several times,” police in Chiredzi said last week.

Authorities at the school said when Gwata overheard the police were coming to investigate the matter, he immediately vanished from the school.

“Gwata was last seen the day the matter was reported to the police. The information we have is that Gwata is now in South Africa,” said a senior staff member at the school.

Local parents have called on the police to act on the matter.

Members of the Mhlanguleni Old Students’ Association have vowed to launch a search for Gwata.

“Gwata is reportedly hiding in Soshanguve Extension, Pretoria. We will find him very soon. We cannot tolerate such heartless behaviour,” said a member of the association.

Chiredzi District Schools Inspector, Petronella Nyangwe was not immediately available for a comment on the matter.