Court finds Schweizer Reneke teacher’s suspension unlawful

The Labour Court in Johannesburg today found that the suspension of Elana Barkhuizen, the Laerskool Schweizer-Reneke teacher, was unlawful. The court furthermore ordered that her suspension be lifted with immediate effect. 

The comes after Barkhuizen was unlawfully suspended on 10 January after a photo she took sparked a social media outcry. Shortly afterwards, Barkhuizen was informed that she was suspended without any explanation being offered for it. 

Solidarity welcomed the lifting of the suspension. “We are pleased with the ruling and we are grateful for Elana’s sake that a form of justice has prevailed for her. However, we are still disappointed that we had to take this battle all the way to court,” Dr Dirk Hermann, Solidarity’s chief executive said.

According to Hermann, Elana, together with so many little kids, the school and the broader community were all deeply hurt because of political opportunism. “This incident is a lesson for everyone in South Africa about how democracy should not work,” Hermann said.

Solidarity is also calling on Sello Lehari, North-West’s MEC for Education, not to pursue any further action against other teachers at Laerskool Schweizer-Reneke because the damage he has done is enough. “It is time for him to offer an apology to all role-players involved who have been hurt in the process. A mature politician would bring the matter to a close rather than to perpetuate it,” Hermann concluded.

Statement issued by Dirk Hermann, Chief Executive: Solidarity, 24 January 2019