SAC-E calls for investigation into WCED's R4 million spending spree

The Special Action Committee – Education (SAC-E), which has been driving the call for former Heathfield High School principal, Wesley Neumann, to return to his post following a labour court decision, is calling on the Auditor-General to urgently investigate the legal expenditure by the Western Cape Education Department.

This comes as Neumann announced he would return to the labour court on Friday for an enforcement application to compel the department to return him to his position. This follows the decision by the WCED to appeal the labour court’s decision, citing that the filing of the appeal would suspend the order for Neumann's reinstatement.

Earlier, political parties questioned the expenditure of the five-year case, which is believed to be in excess of R4 million. Neumann was dismissed in 2020 after dedicating himself to keeping the school closed due to safety concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic and faced misconduct charges including obstruction, disrespect, and breach of social media policy.

Terrence Smith (Chairperson), Special Action Committee - Education said: “The WCED has already squandered over R4 million of public funds on this vindictive pursuit and appears determined to waste even more taxpayer money to defend a political vendetta. These are resources stolen from learners in rural, poor, and marginalised communities.

Money that should have been spent on building schools, addressing overcrowding, accommodating thousands of unplaced learners, employing teachers, fixing collapsing infrastructure, ensuring school safety, and providing transport to rural learners. Instead, the DA-led WCED prioritises persecution over progress, litigation over learning, and politics over children.

“SAC-E calls on the Auditor-General to urgently investigate this matter as fruitless and wasteful expenditure. The message to teachers across the Western Cape is clear: comply or be crushed; remain silent or be targeted.

"This climate of fear destroys morale, undermines professionalism, and ultimately harms learners who depend on stable, ethical, and supported educators. The DA-led WCED must be named for what it has become: an unreformable bureaucracy that mistakes authority for legitimacy and process for justice. True transformation cannot occur where humility is absent, dialogue is rejected, and power is exercised without accountability.”

In response, Education MEC David Maynier said: "The WCED’s application for leave to appeal has been duly filed and served. The law is clear: in terms of section 18(1) of the Superior Courts Act, the judgment is suspended, thus suspending the order to reinstate Mr. Neumann as principal of Heathfield High School. We have also filed a Notice to Oppose his new application on Friday.

"Mr. Neumann breached his core constitutional and contractual obligation to provide teaching and learning to children. Heathfield High School is recovering from the actions of Mr. Neumann and his associates, and is flourishing, so it is vital that we not jeopardise the progress being made.

"We will continue to put the interests of the learners of Heathfield High School first. Any attempt to disrupt the school’s progress or interfere with teaching and learning will not be tolerated."

Maynier previously added that the Court failed to apply the review test correctly, which requires asking whether the ELRC arbitrator’s decision was one that a reasonable decision-maker could reach.

On the facts and law, the ELRC arbitrator’s finding that the dismissal was fair was indeed a reasonable outcome.

Another point is that the Court applied an incorrect legal test when assessing whether Neumann’s statements were racist in nature. Maynier added that the Court incorrectly found that the Department did not lead any evidence on the issue of reinstatement not being an appropriate remedy.

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