By Mogamaat Ameen Strydom
The Special Action Committee – Education (SAC-E) has strongly condemned the Western Cape Education Department (WCED), accusing it of sustained political persecution following its handling of the case involving Heathfield High School principal Wesley Neumann.
Speaking on behalf of SAC-E, committee member Colleen Titus said Neumann’s experience is not an isolated incident but reflects what she described as the “lived reality of thousands of teachers” who face intimidation and victimisation under the DA-led WCED.
“This case is no longer about one individual,” Titus said, describing the department as an “authoritarian and exclusionary bureaucracy” that targets educators who challenge unfair practices or speak out against injustice.
SAC-E also criticised Western Cape MEC for Education David Maynier, accusing him of spreading misinformation regarding the legal status of the matter. According to the committee, the WCED has not filed an Application for Leave to Appeal, but only a Notice of Intention to Appeal, which it argues does not suspend the court ruling in Neumann’s favour.
Titus said Wesley Neumann is therefore legally entitled and obliged to resume his duties as principal of Heathfield High School on Monday, 2 February.
The committee further raised concerns about public spending, alleging that more than R4 million in taxpayer money has already been spent on the matter. Titus said these funds should instead have been used to address overcrowding, unplaced learners, infrastructure backlogs, and transport challenges, particularly in rural communities. SAC-E has called on the Auditor-General to investigate what it describes as fruitless and wasteful expenditure.
In response, the WCED has rejected SAC-E’s claims, insisting that the legal process is being followed. MEC David Maynier said the department has duly filed and served an application for leave to appeal, which he says suspends the court order reinstating Neumann.
“The law is clear: in terms of section 18(1) of the Superior Courts Act, the judgment is suspended, thus suspending the order to reinstate Mr Neumann as principal of Heathfield High School,” Maynier said.
He added that the WCED has also filed a notice to oppose Neumann’s latest urgent Labour Court application.
Maynier said the department’s priority remains the best interests of learners, stating that Heathfield High School has stabilised since Neumann’s removal. He pointed to the Class of 2025 achieving an 89.9% matric pass rate, the school’s highest in 15 years.
“It is vital that we not jeopardise the progress being made,” Maynier said.
The MEC further alleged that Neumann had previously defied departmental instructions and mobilised parents and learners against the WCED, which he said indicated a breakdown in trust.
“There is thus no evidence that the relationship of trust has been restored. The evidence is quite to the contrary,” Maynier said.
SAC-E has called on civil society, organised labour, and members of the public to support Neumann’s urgent Labour Court application scheduled for Friday, 30 January. The organisation has also urged supporters to wear red ribbons on Thursday and Friday as a symbolic act of solidarity against what it describes as institutional intimidation within the Western Cape education system.
Photo: Supplied
