Schäfer’s resignation is long overdue

I MUST admit to feeling a sense of delight at seeing the Cape Times’ banner headline on Friday announcing the resignation of Debbie Schäfer as the Western Cape MEC for Education.

While one does not expect any radical change, since the DA continues to rule this province, it is, nevertheless, hard to see her successor being any more unsuited to the role than she was.

She earned herself undying notoriety when she dismissed education stalwart Brian Isaacs for the crime of speaking up against her department’s ineptitude.

But that’s only one of her claims to fame. Similarly, via her then head of education, Brian Schreuder, she hounded Heathfield High School principal Wesley Neumann for acting in according with his conscience and the concerns of his school community at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Her pro-elite sentiments were unashamedly displayed in the sympathetic way she treated the principal of Sans Souci High School at the time of the school’s hair scandal.

Also, she happily supported calls to sell liquor on school premises. Who will forget her support for the Brackenfell High School’s “all-white” matric event?

And then there was the blatant extension of Schreuder’s contract beyond the permissible age limit. She’s trained in the law, yet she quite contemptuously violates it when it suits her.

I guess that’s what happens when you have power. And as is well known, power corrupts. How about how she fought tooth and nail to close down Uitsig High School, despite the wishes of the local community?

The fact that the DA administration retained her in the post of MEC for all of eight years, and allowed her the dignity of voluntarily resigning, tells you all you need to know about this anti-poor, pro-elite political party. CHARLES THOMAS | Claremont