Chaos erupts as Klipspruit community leader arrested

Chaos erupted in Eldorado Park south of Johannesburg on Wednesday when police arrested a community leader after he and other community members tried to block the gates to the Klipspruit West Secondary School.

Anthony Williams‚ community leader and member of the Patriots of Equality‚ was shoved into the police van after he and some community members said that four teachers would not be allowed into the school.

They community members have apparently accused the teachers of racism‚ abuse and meting out corporal punishment.

Earlier‚ Williams launched a scathing attack on MEC for education Panyaza Lesufi‚ accusing him of discrimination.

“We've been asking him to sit with us before. He goes around when it's a white school and wants to sort them out‚ why doesn't he do that with us? He must exercise his powers everywhere the same way. When he acts he must act decisively and equally‚" said Williams.

On Wednesday‚ parents were invigilating examinations at the school‚ which Williams described as normal and necessary.

"The school is fine‚ the kids are allowed to go to class. The learners are calm and all is going well. It wasn't violent. We barred four teachers from coming into the school‚“ Williams said.

He said the issue was not racial.

Among their grievances the community is dissatisfied over the disbandment of the School Governing Body (SGB) by the education department and a lack of engagement with the community by the department.

"Last week they disbanded the SGB‚ there was an agreement between the community and the department‚ they violated the spirit of the agreement‚" Williams said.

The community leader said that the African National Congress(ANC) members who came and protested outside the school in the early morning against parents invigilating the examination did not communicate with them.

Acting Gauteng Education MEC Jacob Mamabolo is expected at Klipspruit Secondary School to meet teachers and the community because of the clashes.

Jacky Mthombeni‚ general secretary of the Patriots of Equality‚ says that the situation is traumatising the learners.

"Who does Lesufi think he is by disbanding the SGB‚ on what grounds? The community chose those leaders and not you. You disband the SGB and now there is no order in the school. We are not fighting the black man‚ it's not that we don't want a black principal‚ we want only the best. It's been months and years since the school has been in disruptions. The kids are traumatised‚" she said.

On Tuesday the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) said that it was concerned with the unnecessary and counterproductive disruptions of teaching and learning at the school.

At least eleven educators did not report for duty on Tuesday.

"They however‚ reported to the district office after four of their colleagues were prevented from entering the school premises yesterday‚" read a statement from the department.

“These four teachers are the reason the community tried to block the school gates in an effort to prevent them from ever stepping in the school premises.

“As a result Grade 11 learners did not write their assessment. The district and the school will make alternative arrangements for these learners

“It is encouraging that the Grades 8 to 10 learners managed to write their assessments‚ while Grade 12 learners also continued their pre- trial examination‚” the department said.

The school made news months ago when the community protested against the appointment of a black principal.