Cape Town - The acting principals and circuit managers at Heathfield High School were chased away by learners and staff who demanded that fired principal Wesley Neumann return to the school.
Chaos ensued after Neumann turned down the demotion offer by the Western Cape Education Department and was subsequently dismissed.
In October 2021, Neumann was found guilty on six charges of misconduct. From May to July 2020, the WCED said, Neumann incited personnel, learners and the community on social media to refrain from attending school or to report to duty during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Heathfield High Special Action Committee was established in support of Neumann. Committee member Abdurahman Khan said learners stormed the offices of the new principals yesterday and demanded they leave.
Khan said bricks were allegedly thrown at the house of the acting principal at the weekend and the acting circuit manager’s tyres were slashed on Monday.
Heathfield High Special Action Committee spokesperson Brian Isaacs said learners demanded the two circuit managers and two principals leave the school.
“The students forced these people to leave the school. The school staff met after the WCED circuit managers and WCED principals left.”
Police spokesperson Frederick Van Wyk said Steenberg police were called to the school.
“According to reports parents protested against the appointment of two new school principals.”
Van Wyk said no police action was taken and no damages reported.
Representative Council of Learners member and student Onwaba Lionel Matyobeni said the school was going through a tragic period due to Neumans “unfair removal”.
“So we as learners have decided to instead, protest to make our voices heard because they are the reason for this chaos,” Matyobeni said.
“Some teachers are refusing to cooperate with the person who takes charge and we as learners are in support of that, though our learning time is at a halt.”
“We made it clear to the WCED that we will not allow any other person to take over our school, and unless it’s Mr. Neumann, they will be removed.”
WCED spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said the department has employed two seasoned educationalists to manage and stabilise the school until a permanent principal is employed.
Hammond said teaching and learning was disrupted by some learners and a small group of community members, following the arrival of the new caretaker principals.
“The ‘demands’ of the group to have Mr Neumann reinstated as principal, or even as a teacher, at Heathfield High School is not legally possible.”
Neumann has decided to take the matter further legally by referring it to the relevant Bargaining Council.
Neumann would not comment on the situation at Heathfield High School.