Pretoria Girls High Principal found guilty of misconduct

Following the collapse of racism allegations against Pretoria High School for the Principal of Girls Philip Erasmus, she has been found guilty of allowing her husband to work for free to maintain school gardens.

Erasmus was charged with three cases of misconduct by the Gauteng Department of Education, including racism allegations against him and others at the school earlier this year.

Charges of dismissed by hearing officer

That charge – to fail to implement the disciplinary code of the school – was dismissed by the presiding officer in a disciplinary hearing, recognized only as Mr. V Phephanani.

Last July, allegations related to claims that 12 white matric girls allegedly shared racist comments on the “Whites” WhatsApp group.

A later independent investigative report by Attorney Charles Mdladlamba recommended that action should be taken against Principal, Deputy Principal, two teachers, Estate Manager, HR Manager and Acting Principal.

It found that the principal and HR manager failed to follow their obligations and misconduct.

‘No substance’ found in major charges

However, on the charge related to the alleged WhatsApp group of racism – which happened 12 girls are being suspended – Fafenani found that “there was no substance against the accused’s claim against the accused”.

He found Erasmus guilty on another allegation of misconduct regarding the appointment of a finance manager in the school.

Also read: Pretoria High School for Girls: White teachers do not greet black colleagues ‘because they did not know they were cleaner’

Another convict was withdrawn as Erasmus allowed her husband to help manage Mike Erasmus To use school gardens and school vehicles without any salary – The school which was purchased by the governing body and not by the Education Department.

Shifting goalpost accused department

Activist and lawyer Richard Wilkinson, who wrote on the case after being briefed by the concerned parents, said: “After all, after leaving the story ‘Racism’, the department has just changed the strategy in its attempt to remove Mrs. Erasmus.

“His approach can be expressed in the same line:” If we cannot find him for racism, we will get him for something else. ”

He said: “But in doing so, the mask has actually slipped. In the final analysis and at its core, it was never about racism. It was – and remains – about strength and control.

“It is about the political occupation of schools, no different from what has already happened in countless government departments in the last few decades.”

Teachers union criticize the process transparency

Saou teachers union Spokesperson Dames Nail said Erasmus was accused of racism and several unbalanced allegations were made that racism was present in the school.

She said, “She was suspended from her position and had to take steps to step into the Education Labor Relations Council to ensure Saou to ensure that she was restoring her position and pushing it forward.”

Nail said that Irasmus was accused after the department appointed a legal firm to investigate.

“The purpose of the investigation was to determine whether there was racism in the school or not,” he said.

Also read: Another Pretoria Girls High Pupil was suspended after a video with a ‘racial venture’

“To date, the contents of the report have not been made public, and even the charged employees have not got the opportunity to see what has happened and is able to respond.”

Nail said that despite the fact that there were many allegations of racism in the school, Erasmus was never accused of racism. But he was accused of failing to implement the school’s code of conduct.

Ersmus was represented at the disciplinary hearing by Sau and was not found guilty on charges of not implementing the school’s code of conduct.

Final approval is still pending

“It is true that he was found guilty of charge 2, who dealt with the appointment of Charge 3 with the financial manager of the school, dealing with her husband’s participation in the use of school gardeners and school vehicles,” Nail said.

“However, this process has not yet been finalized and we are still waiting to hear what the approval will be. As a result, it would be unfair to expand these allegations at this level.”

He said that the presiding officers may consider possible sanctions in the context of Section 18 (3) of Employment of the Teachers Act 76 of 1998, in which consultation, oral warning, written warning, final written warning, fine are not more than one month’s salary, Suspension No more than three months without paying no period, or demotion.

Nail said, “Once the approval is received, hundred and Erasmus will take an informed decision on whether to take the matter forward in the Education Labor Relations Council to pursue the matter or not,” Nail said.

The department for teachers and the South African Council refused to comment on the case.

Now read: Pretoria Girls takes legal action against Gauteng Education Department on High SGB racism dispute