POLITICS

Coloured teachers go on go-slow in solidarity with Klipspruit school

School community has been protesting the alleged irregular appointment of black principal over Coloured candidates

38 'coloured' schools closed in Gauteng over black principal appointment

Johannesburg – Teaching at an estimated 38 “coloured” schools in Gauteng was disrupted on Monday when teachers embarked on a go-slow in solidarity with a Klipspruit school, a spokesperson said.

“The department will have a clear picture about the number of affected schools by tomorrow [Tuesday] morning, but we estimate up to 38 schools are affected,” Gauteng Education Department spokesperson Steve Mabona told News24 on Monday afternoon.

He said the department condemns the go-slow and all the concerned parties are working tirelessly to resolve the deadlock.

Protest action started at the Klipspruit-West Secondary School in Soweto last week Monday when parents called for the removal of a newly appointed black principal.

At the time, Patriotic Association of South Africa (Pasa) spokesperson Charis Pretorius said parents were frustrated over a black principal which was irregularly appointed by the department.

She denied that the protest was racially motivated.

"We are a majority coloured community. Then they appoint people to a selection committee who are illegitimate and create a shortlist where only one of the six candidates is coloured – when 11 coloured candidates applied,” Pretorius said.

"Why wasn’t the current caretaker even considered?"

According to its website, Pasa is a political party formed for marginalised people such as coloureds, the Khoi San, and Indians.

News24