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‘He died in pain, but not in vain’ — mom transforms personal loss into a fight to protect SA’s children

‘He died in pain, but not in vain’ — mom transforms personal loss into a fight to protect SA’s children
Teresa Mordoh, holds a picture of Julio, who died by suicide after allegedly being sexually assualted by a former teacher at St John's College when he was a child. (Photo: Lerato Mutsila)
Lerato Mutsila
By Lerato Mutsila
5 Jun 2025
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When Teresa Mordoh’s son, Julio, died by suicide after allegedly being sexually assaulted by a teacher at St John’s College, her world was shattered. But in the depths of grief, Mordoh found a new purpose: to ensure that no other child or family would suffer in silence. She founded an organisation dedicated to child protection and systemic change in South African schools.

‘The one and only promise I made to my son at the funeral was that he died in pain, but not in vain. I didn’t know what that meant at the time, I just knew that it couldn’t just end there. There are too many children suffering, and I just felt that I needed to do something.”

These were the words of a tearful Teresa Mordoh as she sat down for an interview with Daily Maverick to discuss what inspired her to start STOPS (Stop Trauma of Pupils in School), an NGO dedicated to child protection and systemic change in South African schools.

Teresa is the mother of Julio Mordoh, who tragically took his life after years of suffering from anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following alleged sexual abuse by a former teacher at St John’s College in Johannesburg.

Julio’s story: Grooming, abuse and systemic blindness


Julio’s ordeal began in 2011 when he transitioned from pre-prep to prep school. “He was groomed from the time that he moved from the pre-prep into the prep,” Teresa said. The teacher, who also ran the school’s rock-climbing club, allegedly targeted vulnerable boys – often those facing family difficulties or perceived as outsiders. 

Soon after the alleged abuse Julio became withdrawn and started showing signs of anxiety and depression when he was 12 years old.

“We tried everything in our power to get Julio help. He was such a bright, loving and happy boy, then all of a sudden he just became so anxious and depressed when he was in Grade 6. We knew something was wrong, but the last thing that would have occurred to me was sexual abuse,” Teresa said.

It was only in 2021, when St John’s disclosed that a pupil had come forward to allege that the teacher had sexually assaulted him, that the Mordoh family finally learnt the cause of Julio’s pain.

Read more: Childhood in crisis

“I remember reading the letter from St John’s… Julio said, ‘I didn’t know there were other boys. I thought I was the only one’,” Teresa said.

Even in a family where open discussion was encouraged, the shame and silence imposed by abuse were overwhelming. “He was so ashamed. He just couldn’t bring himself to talk about it,” Mordoh says, highlighting how even supportive environments can’t always break through the barriers of trauma and stigma.

The details of how much St John’s knew about the abuse before the accused was eventually forced to resign, following complaints from staff members, remain unclear. However, Teresa says the prestigious boys’ school received a number of complaints from concerned teachers against the accused, which St John’s allegedly ignored and failed to properly investigate while the former teacher was still employed at the school.

protect children Mordoh Teresa Mordoh, holds a picture of Julio, who died by suicide after allegedly being sexually assaulted by a former teacher at St John's College when he was a child. (Photo: Lerato Mutsila)



St John’s has claimed that it only became aware of the allegations in 2021, following which the school undertook an independent investigation and laid criminal charges with the police after the investigation was concluded.

Julio’s inability to speak out about his abuse and the alleged lack of transparency from the school led Teresa to found STOPS.

How Julio’s story shapes STOPS’ mission


Julio’s tragic experience is at the heart of STOPS’ work. Mordoh’s advocacy is driven by the lessons learnt from her son’s suffering and the systemic failures that compounded his trauma. STOPS focuses on:

  • Creating safe reporting channels: Recognising that children rarely disclose abuse to parents or authority figures, STOPS is working to establish confidential avenues for pupils to report concerns, so that no child feels alone or unheard;

  • Mandatory reporting and accountability: Mordoh campaigns for strict enforcement of mandatory reporting laws and for holding schools legally accountable when they fail to protect children. She stresses that a Form 22 report is not an accusation, but a necessary trigger for investigation;

  • Specialised children’s courts: After experiencing repeated delays and a lack of expertise in the justice system, Mordoh is calling for dedicated children’s courts with trained professionals, private rooms and psychological support, ensuring cases are handled with the sensitivity and urgency they deserve; and

  • Community education and breaking the silence: STOPS runs awareness campaigns to educate parents, teachers and students about grooming, abuse and the importance of listening to children. Mordoh believes that “we fail children not by what we do, but by what we don’t do. We don’t listen to children.”


Mordoh said that creating safe reporting channels is one of STOPS’ most important initiatives. The NGO has partnered with Lyra Southern Africa to create a platform, independent from schools and parents, where young people can report abuse and depression, offering them round-the-clock, confidential counselling and support from registered clinicians.

Mordoh is consulting with schools to roll out the platform to children. The next step is to engage the Department of Education to ensure that all South African children have access to the platform.

“This is about putting power back in the hands of young people, so they can feel in control of whatever it is that they are going through,” she said.

Looking forward


For Mordoh, the true heroes of child protection are the children themselves, who show courage in the face of unimaginable adversity. She urges adults to reclaim their humanity by caring enough to notice, to ask questions and to act when something is wrong. 

“All we need to be as adults is human. I’m not a hero, I’m just human. The real unsung heroes are the children. If we could just find our humanity as a community and start caring for children, that would go a long way in addressing this crisis,” she said.

As Child Protection Week shines a spotlight on unsung heroes, Mordoh’s message is clear: systemic change is possible, but it requires honesty, accountability and collective action. Through STOPS, she continues to fight for a future where every child is safe, heard and protected – a legacy that ensures Julio did not die in vain. DM



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