Education department wants pupils to testify
Former students back Hoërskool Overvaal
The Gauteng department of education wants the 55 pupils refused admission at Hoërskool Overvaal in Vereeniging to testify in its case in the Constitutional Court.
The department petitioned the apex court to hear the matter after the High Court in Pretoria ruled in favour of the school against a directive to admit the English-speaking pupils.
In its court papers, head of the department Edward Mosuwe said the high court granted the application of the school governing body without hearing the pupils whose placement was set aside.
This, Mosuwe said, was despite a complaint by the department that these pupils ought to have joined in the proceedings so they would have an opportunity to explain their position.
“The department will invite them to intervene in this application so that they can finally participate in proceedings which have had a direct impact on their rights and interests,” he said.
The court found the school did not have the capacity to admit additional pupils to be taught in English.
Meanwhile, some former black pupils at the school, have defended the school’s language policy.
Kamo Tjelele, 21, said he was a proud product of Hoërskool Overvaal. He matriculated in 2014 and is currently studying medicine in Cuba where his language of instruction is Spanish.
“We should be allowed to exercise our constitutional right to education in the language we want to,” said Tjelele.
“I went to an Afrikaans school by choice. I was never treated differently because of the colour of my skin. I left the school having made friends.”
Another former pupil, Ben Tsamela, 23, said: “I had an amazing experience at the school. I remember I was crowned Mr Overvaal Junior because we had the normal schooling activities like every other school.”
A parent of one of the pupils, Primrose Tlamane, said there were black pupils at Overvaal who are doing well.