Western Cape Premier Alan Winde and Education MEC Debbie Schäfer visited Brackenfell High School and stressed that the top priority was to ensure learners’ safety as they write exams.
“I have also had a conversation with Provincial Police Commissioner, General Yolisa Matakata, and we are in full agreement that the safety of the school and its learners is non-negotiable and that the necessary police resources will be deployed to ensure this,” Winde said.
“Quite frankly, (Monday’s protest) was illegal, and it’s not about engaging with people who engage in illegal activity. That is unacceptable.”
According to Winde, the EFF did not have a permit to march. He also slammed the violence that occurred on both sides.
“We need to see arrests, because that is absolutely unacceptable violence from any side, so there are further charges to be laid, and we need to make sure arrests happen.”
Schäfer added: “We are not going to allow schools to be shut down by people who have a different view of things, that is not how we operate.”
The MEC said that she had asked for a detailed report following the alleged matric dance post that was shared on the school’s Facebook page, and then deleted.
Winde said matrics had the most challenging year because of the pandemic.
He called for calm, telling the EFF “this escalation is not the leadership that South Africa needs right now”.