North West MEC holds off on Schweizer-Reneke school report

North West education MEC Sello Lehari will no longer be releasing the preliminary report into the Laerskool Schweizer-Reneke saga on Thursday.

Lehari had been expected to address a press briefing in Mahikeng, where he was to announce the findings of an investigation.

"The briefing has been postponed until further notice. There are some legal things that need to be dealt with first," said his spokesperson Freddy Sepeng.

"Solidarity had said the MEC did not follow procedure in his last pronouncement, so we are following procedure," he added.

The much-anticipated report had been expected to reveal whether anyone was in the wrong following an uproar over a picture taken at the school, showing black and white Grade R learners who had been seated separately. The picture, which was shared on the teacher-parent WhatsApp group, later went viral on social media.

The report would also have revealed what action, if any, should be taken in regard to the incident.

Elana Barkhuizen, a teacher from the school, was suspended last week in connection with the picture. While the photographed class was not hers, she was reported to have taken the picture.

Earlier this week, Solidarity announced it was taking legal action against Lehari, saying he had failed to follow proper procedure in Barkhuizen's suspension.

The trade union said the entire incident had tainted the reputation of Barkhuizen, whom they described as a good teacher. An emotional Barkhuizen joined Solidarity at its press briefing, vowing to clear her name.

Sepeng on Wednesday told TimesLIVE that it was not the MEC's place to lift Barkhuizen's suspension.

"It was the SGB (school governing board) that suspended her. The MEC simply made the pronouncement (of the suspension)," Sepeng said on Wednesday.

Barkhuizen was reportedly not employed by the department of education but by the school's governing body.

Lehari on Wednesday addressed the parents of the learners and urged those who had kept their children away following disruptions last week to send their children back to school, assuring them that they would be safe.

Some parents had removed their children from the school after political parties and community groups had turned up at the school, demanding answers over the picture.

Lehari had called for schooling to return to normal.