Debbie Schäfer quits as Western Cape education MEC

Western Cape education MEC Debbie Schäfer has quit after eight years in the job and says she is bowing out of public life and taking a legal job in the UK.

Announcing Schäfer's departure in a joint statement with the MEC on Thursday, premier Alan Winde said he would announce a reshuffle of his provincial executive on Friday. 

As well as naming a new education MEC, Winde needs to appoint a community safety MEC to replace Albert Fritz who was fired on March 1 after an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment.

"We are determined to use this post-disaster moment to make the changes we need to move forward," Winde said.

"As I announced during my state of the province address in February, we must push back against going back to normal and we must push forward to do even better. I intend to do this so that we deliver on our priorities of jobs, safety and well-being for all.”

Schäfer said she believed she left the education department in a better place than when she took the job, but she would leave on May 15 and join family in the UK.

"I would like to thank former premier Helen Zille for entrusting me with this responsibility and premier Alan Winde for his leadership and support," she said.

"A new education MEC will be afforded an opportunity to build on the tremendous work of our team to date as well as to introduce change with their own approach and ideas."

Winde paid tribute to Schäfer as a "strong and tenacious" leader.

"Her results speak for themselves. The Western Cape has the highest bachelor pass rate in the country and has reached our highest retention rate ever," he said.

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