Limpopo's education department hired more school staff without sex-offender checks than with them, and never referred abuse cases to child protection, a gender-equality watchdog found.

The Commission for Gender Equality, a constitutional (Chapter 9) body, published a provincial investigation in 2026 after a complaint that the Limpopo Department of Education took no action against a principal accused of sexually violating staff and learners. It found that 474 people were appointed in 2025/2026 without being vetted against the National Register for Sex Offenders, against 227 who were vetted, and that the department confirmed it does not refer sexual-misconduct cases to the Department of Social Development as the national protocol and the Children's Act require.