Principal accused of witchcraft by parents takes department to court

A terrified principal is refusing to return to school after a group of parents attacked him when they accused him of witchcraft.

David Tsepe, the headmaster of Freedom Park Secondary in Rustenburg, North West, has asked the Mahikeng high court to order education MEC Wendy Matsemela and head of education Stephinah Semaswe to find him an office-based post in the department.

Tsepe, who has taught for 26 years, is also seeking an order interdicting them from transferring him to any school in the province.

The matter is due to be heard on November 24.

Tsepe declined to comment, saying employees were not allowed to speak to the media.

However, in court papers, Tsepe stated that on March 14 community members demanded that they conduct a prayer session at school after incidents on March 10, 11 and 14, in which two pupils began screaming after they were allegedly possessed by evil spirits.

The parents were told that a prayer had already been held that morning but refused to listen and demanded that another be conducted immediately.  

Tsepe said the parents then forcibly entered the administration block and pulled him out.

“They accused me of having a hand in pupils fainting at school. They said I was practising witchcraft and should leave the school.”

He was assaulted and parents “even went to the extent of tearing my clothes apart”.

After the attack, which was captured on video, Tsepe went home “to change the torn clothes and to refresh” then reported the matter to circuit manager Lucas Lelaka.

The matter was reported to a health and wellness practitioner on April 4, who counselled Tsepe and his deputy.

The parents and the community who attacked him clearly stated that they will not welcome him back to the school, so his safety was not guaranteed.

—  Health and wellness practitioner

In a report dated April 28, and included in Tsepe's affidavit, the practitioner stated that the assault on Tsepe “resulted in emotional and psychological trauma”.

“Tsepe is extremely fearful of the community known to be violent and that no-one was apprehended despite the incident being captured on camera.

“The parents and the community who attacked him clearly stated they will not welcome him back to the school, so his safety was not guaranteed,” the report stated.

It recommended that he be transferred to an office-based post “where there will be less noise and sounds that might trigger nightmares and flashbacks”.

A psychiatrist also stated in a report dated June 21, and included in the affidavit, that the department should consider an “alternative work placement” for Tsepe.

Despite this, the department asked him to report for duty on July 1.

He said in his affidavit that Matsemela and Semaswe “continue to insist that he return to the school environment, notwithstanding their own administrative decision that he will not function in a school environment”.

Tsepe said employees have the right to a safe working environment and “to receive fair labour practices and to be treated with respect and dignity”.

“It is the duty of the employer to protect employees from psychological harm.”

He said the department’s instruction “to force the employee to return to Freedom Park Secondary School or to report to any school is a direct violation of the right to a safe working environment”.

He said the insistence that he be placed in a school environment “is a real threat to the right to a fair labour practice”.

The department selected a number of schools to which he could be transferred temporarily, but there was resistance from the governing bodies to accommodate him.

“The department deliberately chose those schools which already have a principal and are underperforming, which in effect renders me redundant and useless.”

In court papers he said he has schoolgoing children who are dependent on him “and there are no prospects of an alternative employment at this stage”.

North West education department spokesperson Elias Malindi said they were consulting with their legal counsel for guidance.​