US talk show mogul Oprah Winfrey thanked South African police over their handling of an investigation into allegations of abuse involving a employee at her school for disadvantaged girls near Johannesburg, the Saturday Star reported.

Thanking the South African Police Service for its "timely resolution" of the investigation following the arrest of a dormitory parent Thursday on charges of abuse involving at least seven pupils, Winfrey said: "It means the world to me."

"...this serves as a reminder that any time a child has the courage to step forward it is our duty as adults to listen and take immediate action," she added in in a statement issued through her publicist Friday night that was quoted by the Star.

The charges against the 27-year-old dormitory matron include assault, indecent assault, crimen injuria (injuring another person's dignity), and soliciting underage girls to perform indecent acts, Gauteng province police said Friday.

The abuse allegations first surfaced in mid-October after the school announced it had suspended a dormitory matron for misconduct.

One pupil was reported to have fled the school, claiming the abuse had become intolerable.

The school's principal has also been placed on leave, following allegations that she failed to act on the girls' complaints against the abuse suspect.

The scandal had prompted Winfrey to make two crisis visits to the school, during which she had apologized to parents telling them "I've disappointed you. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry," Rapport newspaper reported.

The talk-show mogul, who was born into poverty and has spoken about being abused as a child, opened the school in early 2006 at a cost of close to 300 million rand (around 46 million dollars).

"I wanted to give this opportunity to girls who had a light so bright that not even poverty could dim that light," Winfrey said said at the January 2007 opening, which was attended by a host of celebrities including former South African president Nelson Mandela.

Winfrey personally interviewed many of the 150 girls who were selected to study at the school, which boasts a well-stocked library, gym, sports fields and theatre.