The spotlight has once again fallen on Heathfield High School after five school governing body members, who were staunch supporters of axed Wesley Neumann, were retrenched.
The school made headlines last year after its principal was fired for defying Western Cape Education Department’s orders on attendance at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. Neumann is currently challenging the WCED’s dismissal.
And last week five SGB staff – Jacqueline Oliver, Julia Brown, Oswald Petersen, Shahied Mapoli and Patrick Moses – who were Neumann’s supporters were given notices of termination with immediate effect.
In the letter, seen by Weekend Argus, the school cited “operational requirements” as the reason for the dismissal, adding that their final salaries would also be paid in two parts due to the school’s financial distress.
“In light of the lack of finances, this payment will be the final monies paid to you by the SGB,” read the letter.
However, the group’s lawyer advocate Vernon Seymour argued that the termination did not comply with the section 189 requirements for retrenchment and as such, a legal challenge will be launched.
“They want their employer to treat them fairly and comply with the law, ” he said.
Seymour said while financial constraints have been cited as the reason for retrenchments, there was an element of victimisation for supporting the former principal.
“The five employees are firmly of the view that Mr. Neumann has been victimised. One of them gave evidence in support of Mr. Neumann at his disciplinary hearing.”
Petersen, who worked as a sports coordinator for more than five years, said they received a text message on August 28, from one of the acting principals, to attend a Section 189 committee meeting.
Days later, another letter was sent out via WhatsApp informing them of their dismissal.
Petersen said since the appointment of two acting principals, fears of a purge against those who supported Neumann have been rife.
“The actions taken against us is motivated by ulterior motives and the purported Section 189 process, initiated by those responsible, is a sham to get rid of us, while all of us have families with young children to support,” he added.
The dismissal has caused a stir among the teaching staff and learners.
“Since Mr. Neumann left it's been downhill at our school. We don’t even know who the principal is, we haven’t had an assembly in forever, and there is no transparency,” said learners, Danielle Taylor, 18.
“Now we are learning about the dismissal of more people who were the only ones who had our backs and listened to us.”
Another learner, Amy Dowman, 16, called for a meeting with the WCED to air their grievances
“We want them to come to us and have a look at what is happening. To hear us out, that’s it.”
An employee at the school who was too scared to speak on record said workers they felt were being pro-Neumann, came with an automatic target on their backs.
“We see what has happened and what is happening, that is why we don't want to speak out, but we all know that this has to do with the Wesley Neumann situation,” said the worker.
The ANC’s spokesperson on education in the Western Cape Legislature Khalid Sayed said they supported calls for a broader engagement with the entire school community.
“Beyond the issue of finance, the draconian action of the WCED has created absolute anarchy at the school. Learners from the onset of this crisis wanted to be engaged by the department but this did not happen.
“In addition, the MEC (David Maynier) himself needs to face learners and he must be joined by our education standing committee. This situation can no longer be tolerated. Mr Neumann needs to be reinstated as a matter of urgency.”
WCED’s spokesperson, Bronagh Hammond, said the school was faced with severe financial difficulties, which led to the decision to retrench SGB staff members.
“There is no other reason for this decision – one that the former principal had himself proposed prior to his dismissal,” she explained.
“The number of teachers has not decreased. The claims circulating on social media are thus false. The attempts by some individuals to destabilise the school environment are selfish.”
Hammond also explained that Neumann’s arbitration was postponed to this month to allow the arbitrator to make a ruling on whether the Education Labour Relations Council has jurisdiction to hear the matter.
“The ongoing “demand” to have Mr Neumann reinstated as principal is not legally possible. Neumann decided to reject the offer of demotion to a head of department post (with the opportunity to apply for a principal post after a 12-month period), as an alternative to dismissal,“ she said.