Gauteng education MEC Panyaza Lesufi has praised the pupils who testified against Collan Rex‚ the former Parktown Boys’ High School assistant water polo coach.
Rex‚ 22‚ was found guilty of 12 counts of assault and 144 of sexual assault by the South Gauteng High Court‚ sitting at the Palmridge Magistrate’s Court‚ on Friday.
“We are relieved that we managed to get a guilty verdict. It’s a huge pain that we have subjected our boys [to] through this process. I really have to thank the learners that came to give evidence. They must not be discouraged by some of the things the judge picked up [on]. We also want to thank the parents that came to give them support‚” Lesufi said.
Rex did not display any emotion when acting Judge Peet Johnson delivered judgment and was seen leaving the courtroom alone.
A number of boys from the well-known Johannesburg school had testified how‚ in 2016‚ Rex had choked them. Others told of how he had touched their genitals. One pupil described how Rex made him watch the erotic movie “Fifty Shades of Grey”.