Durban - A sexual grooming case against former water polo coach David Mackenzie has been reopened.
Mackenzie, a former teacher at St Andrew’s College, told News24 that he believes this was retaliation by the police for going after them.
Mackenzie is being sued for millions by the parents of Thomas Kruger, a former St Andrew’s College student who was found hanged in 2018.
The family attribute their child’s ‘state of mind’ at the time of his death to being sexually molested and groomed by McKenzie, News 24 reported.
Last month, Kruger’s parents won a court application not to have their son’s medical records shared with the respondents, which include Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga.
Operation Nemo was launched this week and will investigate an alleged ring of predatory teachers and sports coaches at schools, News24 reported.
As part of the probe, private schools all over the country will be probed, and these include Westville Boys High in KwaZulu-Natal, Reddam schools and Grey High in Gqeberha.
Miranda Jordan of WMACA, who has collaborated with police, told News24 that Operation Nemo would help dispel the myth that “children in private schools do not get abused.”
Mackenzie's lawyer, Danie Gouws, told News24 that police were retaliating because his client, served the police with a Section 3 notice informing them that he intends to serve them with a summons for unlawful conduct.
He further told News24 that this appears to be backlash as nothing had changed in the SAPS docket.
IOL