The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) are being pressured to release the investigative report into the alleged ‘racist’ saga that unfolded at the Brackenfell High School matric ball incident. However, according to the WCED it found no racist motives behind the event. The department said last week the report contained confidential or sensitive information and it would not be appropriate to release it.
Speaking on the VOC Breakfast show on Tuesday morning, member of the provincial legislature, Khalid Sayed said he has submitted a Promotion of Access to Information application to the WCED to get the full report.
“The ANC would like to study the actual report of WCED so that they could give proper comment on the matter of institutionalised racism and assess a way forward,” said Sayed.
Sayed claimed without the full report the public would not be able to determine the complete extent of the matter.
“It’s of public importance that the report is out there so that we are able to interrogate because right now we are forming views and opinions but we don’t know how the department got to that conclusion in the first place,” stated Sayed.
Sayed drew a comparison to Heathfield High Principal, Wesley Nuemann. It’s been alleged that he refused to reopen the school amid the Covid-19 infection peak, and wrote an open letter to President Cyril Ramaphosa and the Cabinet asking for the closure of schools. Since then six charges, including that of failing to carry out an instruction of the employer, were brought against Neumann by the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) earlier this year.
“Former model C schools are allowed to do whatever they please without any worry of consequence and this injustice needs to stop. Brackenfell high and its discrimination is the reflection of the WCED,” said Sayed.
Veteran school principal and interim secretary to the Progressive Organisation Formation Brian Isaacs has meanwhile called for education MEC Debbie Schafer and head of education Brian Schruder to be removed, citing incompetence. According to Isaacs, racism in Western Cape schools is wide spread.
“The time that the DA has been in power and in the field of education they have been blatantly racist. They have treated schools of the poor different to privileged schools and they have gotten away with this for a very long time,” stated Isaacs.
“Both Schafer and Schruder need to resign immediately so we can work toward a nonracial education department,” ended Isaacs.
Sayed said in the interim period until a formal response is received from the WCED the legislature will look to legal action it can peruse.
VOC