• The Gauteng Department of Education has cleared only 11% of its 86,367 employees against the National Register for Sex Offenders.

• Michael Waters of the DA says children are at risk because most Gauteng school workers have not been properly checked.

Most of the people working in Gauteng schools have not been properly checked for sexual offences. The Gauteng Department of Education has only cleared 11% of its 86,367 employees against the National Register for Sex Offenders.

The department says the process is slow because of funding problems.

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Figures presented to the Gauteng education portfolio committee show how much ground remains to be covered. District offices submitted 28,530 vetting applications. Of these, 24,260 reached the justice department. A total of 3,834 applications were rejected. More than 10,422 are still waiting to be processed.

This means thousands of workers are still in Gauteng schools without being cleared. Some could have serious criminal histories.

Earlier findings raised more concern. Five workers in Gauteng schools had sexual offence convictions. Seventeen had suspended convictions. One person resigned after being identified. Another still faces disciplinary action.

The Democratic Alliance says children are being left in danger. Michael Waters said: "If they continue to charge for this process, we will never achieve 100% vetting, which will leave our children exposed and vulnerable to sexual predators."

Waters said the DA would push for a single vetting system and set deadlines to complete the process. He said anyone flagged must be removed from working with learners immediately.

The party is also calling for vetting to be made free for all government departments.