Maritzburg College ordered to halt disciplinary moves

‘Nothing will happen to those boys and they must prepare for their exams’

THE KZN Department of Education has ordered Maritzburg College to halt disciplinary proceedings against the pupils photographed holding up T-shirts emblazoned with the EFF logo.

National Department of Basic Education spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga said the school had been instructed to withdraw the charges.

“Provincial Head of Department Dr Enock Nzama sent a letter to the school ordering them to stop the process, and in terms of the law, he has the final say on what happens at the school,” said Mhlanga.

Mhlanga’s provincial counterpart, Sihle Mlotshwa, confirmed that the school had been ordered to stop the probe.

“We told them the department will be investigating all the allegations that have emerged because the school cannot investigate itself.

“Nothing will happen to those boys, and we have told the school they must prepare for their exams as those are about to start,” said Mlotshwa.

Craig MacKenzie, chairperson of the Maritzburg College school governing body, said the department had made a recommendation that was being considered and more details would be revealed today.

“Positive meetings were held this morning, firstly with senior officials of the Department of Education, and with the three College boys and their parents.

“The recommendations from the department will be considered by the school’s governing body this evening,” he said.

“We anticipate that it will be school as usual going forward, we have taken several steps to ensure the safety of our boys and staff.”

Mbali Ntuli, the DA MPL and its spokesperson in the provincial legislature, said there was an overreach in charging the pupils.

“Expressing a political opinion, as a learner, cannot be likened to violating section 33A of the South African Schools Act, which prohibits political activities during school time.

“We believe that section 33A of the act serves to prevent disruptive behaviour during teaching time by learners, teachers as well as the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union, which has a long history of suspending teaching in order to engage in union and ANC work, therefore sacrificing the futures of our youth,” said Ntuli.

She said schools should be centres of learning, which included engaging in political thought and debate.

“To stifle this at school level is to stifle interaction with the world around us. In fact, political curiosity by students should be nurtured not punished.”

Ntuli said schools were also a place where mistakes were made and where punishments should be corrective rather than punitive.