The nursery school issue: Minister defies court ruling; Solidarity preparing further legal action 

7 July 2020

Solidarity today strongly denounced the Minister of Social Development, Lindiwe Zulu’s statements made in a press statement issued by her department and is preparing to institute legal proceedings against the minister.

“In her statement the minister claims that nursery schools need to obtain approval or certification by the department before they may open. This is not true. In terms of the recent court ruling any school that believes it can open safely may do so,” Anton van der Bijl, Solidarity’s head of Labour Law Services explained.

Solidarity considers the minister’s actions in this regard to be in contempt of the court’s ruling, and a letter of demand to the department is being prepared, which will require the minister to withdraw her remarks immediately and to allow schools to open. 

“The minister’s actions can incur a prison sentence for her, and we are prepared to demand that, if necessary. The court handed down its ruling and the minister is not entitled to disregard the provisions of this court order,” Van der Bijl concluded. 

Issued by Marisa Engelbrecht, Occupational Guilds’ Sector Head: Communication Practitioners and Support Services, 7 July 2020