Pupils want principal removed

PUPILS from Temple Valley Secondary School in Verulam protested yesterday, calling for the principal to be removed after they were accused of not being enrolled at the school and of having sex with taxi drivers.

Private security company Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa) were called to the school where they found pupils chanting Struggle songs, throwing stones and burning bins, said Prem Balram, Rusa’s director.

“They insisted the principal be removed after she demanded outstanding school fees. Another group of female pupils said the principal had disciplined them for having sex with taxi drivers,” Balram said.

Police spokesperson Colonel Thembeka Mbele said pupils had burnt recycling bins and complained about the school management.

Mbele said Verulam police were monitoring the situation. “No case has been opened and no injuries were reported,” she said.

The Ward 106 councillor, Johnson Chetty, said the problems began on Monday when pupils, mostly schoolgirls, went to his office. .

“They said they were told their parents had not registered or enrolled them and had not filled in the paperwork,” Chetty said.

Education Department spokesperson Kwazi Mthethwa warned the pupils to go back to class and learn.

He said the other issues should be dealt with at school parents’ meetings because it was the parents, not the pupils, who were responsible for paying the school fees.