Wesley Neumann expresses gratitude following Labour Court ruling on his dismissal

Vindicated principal Wesley Neumann has thanked the public for their overwhelming support after the Labour Court judgment replaced his dismissal from Heathfield High School with a final written warning.

Political parties are now questioning the expenditure of the five-year case, which is believed to exceed R4 million.

The news has been widely welcomed by the Special Action Committee–Education (SAC-E), the GOOD Party, COSATU Western Cape, and the ANC.

Cape Argus approached Neumann for comment on Tuesday, but he could not speak publicly. A representative on behalf of the principal shared a brief message on his behalf: “I would like to express my gratitude to all the people that I did not even meet for their support and prayers.”

Neumann was dismissed in 2020 after deciding to keep the school closed due to safety concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic and faced various charges.

Political parties have hailed the ruling as a victory for justice against what they assert was political persecution by the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) and former MEC Debbie Schäfer. 

Bronagh Hammond, spokesperson for the WCED, said their legal counsel is currently reviewing the judgment, and a decision on whether to lodge an appeal will be taken in due course. “The Labour Court judgment follows guilty findings against Mr Neumann by an independent presiding officer in 2021 and an Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) arbitrator in 2023. In June 2023, the ELRC arbitrator confirmed that “the sanction of dismissal was appropriate,” Hammond stated.

“While the Labour Court overturned some of the previous findings, it upheld one of the charges—namely, that the language used by Mr Neumann in written correspondence to the Head of Department was disrespectful and amounted to insolence. However, the Acting Judge reduced the dismissal to a final written warning. This is but one aspect of the ruling that is being carefully considered.

“The WCED remains committed to ensuring that disciplinary processes are applied fairly, consistently, and in the best interests of learners, educators, and the public education system.”

The Special Action Committee–Education (SAC-E) said it welcomed the judgment of the Labour Court ordering the retrospective reinstatement of  Neumann as principal of Heathfield High School. This ruling represents a decisive affirmation of justice, fairness, and due process, and brings to an end a protracted and painful chapter spanning more than five years.

“SAC-E has consistently maintained that this matter was never about Mr Neumann’s professional competence, integrity, or commitment to education. From the outset, we asserted that he was subjected to political and personal persecution at the hands of the erstwhile Head of Department, Mr Brian Schreuder, and the former MEC for Education in the Western Cape, Ms Debbie Schäfer,” Terrence Smith (Chairperson), Special Action Committee – Education (SAC-E) said.

Brett Herron, GOOD Secretary-General & Member of the Western Cape Parliament, questioned public funds utilised to keep the case afloat for years: “Millions of rands in public money were wasted on legal fees and the appointment of replacement principals, all in pursuit of a case that the courts have now rejected."

The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) demanded a full public accounting: “This fruitless and wasteful expenditure must be explained to the taxpayers of the Western Cape,” it said.

The ANC Caucus in the Western Cape Legislature also questioned funding: “We will be posing formal questions to the Education MEC, David Maynier, regarding the total cost incurred by the department in its prolonged and reckless pursuit of Mr Neumann, excluding this Labour Court matter. We are aware that well over R4 million was spent."

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