Sheriff to seize Mpumalanga education department assets

The sheriff of the court in Nelspruit has received a warrant to seize the assets of the Mpumalanga education department, it was reported on Tuesday.

Beeld newspaper reported that the warrant was issued by the Labour Court on Tuesday and arose from a settlement agreement the department signed in April 2011 with former Hoerskool Ermelo headmaster Koos Kruger.

Kruger made national headlines in 2008 when he refused to allow a group of English speaking children into his school because the school's medium of instruction was Afrikaans and the school was apparently full.

The situation resulted in litigation in the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) and the Constitutional Court, both of which criticised the education department.

According to Beeld, during this process, the department held a disciplinary hearing about Kruger's refusal to adhere to the MEC's order to allow the English children access to the school, and fired him.

The settlement was reached after the Constitutional Court ruled in his favour. The department agreed to reinstate him as principal and to pay him the salary and leave money he forfeited when he was fired.

However, the money -- R658 863 with interest -- had reportedly not been paid by September, 17 months after the settlement.

Kruger, now is now chief executive of administration of the Puma rugby union, declined to comment to the newspaper on Monday.