Board turmoil roils top Schule

● A spat among board members at a prestigious German school over the “unauthorised” renewal of the principal’s contract has prompted diplomatic intervention.

The German ambassador to SA, Martin Schäfer, who has been trying to defuse the conflict at the Deutsche Internationale Schule in Johannesburg, told parents the situation was becoming an “embarrassment”.

The 129-year-old school, part of a network of 140 institutions in 72 countries, was declared the best international school outside Germany in 2016.

It is one of three German schools in SA managed by a German authority that advises the schools and sends headmasters and teachers from Germany.

The board dispute was sparked by allegations that two members, Birgit Kanwischer and Bernie Bachmann, secretly extended the contract of principal Thomas Bachmeier in January. Bachmeier signed the contract, which was sent to Germany.

Five board members asked attorney Renate Hertenberger for a legal opinion on the validity of Kanwischer and Bachmann’s actions, and she advised that the two be asked to resign. If they refused, she said, the board should ask a court to order their removal.

“They have proved themselves unfit to act as directors of this board,” she said.

Two additional members were co-opted to the 10-member board and a vote to extend Bachmeier’s contract was successful in March.

The five board members who sought the legal opinion resigned shortly after the vote. A further five resigned before an extraordinary general meeting of parents on April 9, leaving only Kanwischer and one of the coopted members on the board.

According to the minutes of the April 9 meeting, Schäfer said the “toxic atmosphere” among parents upset him.

“It is clear the board is not functioning well,” he said.

A parent told the meeting “the board is causing the school to suffer and the behaviour is a crime against the learners”.

German embassy spokesperson Kerstin Bittiger said they wanted to see German schools in SA thrive.

Responding to a media inquiry, Bachmeier said he had assumed Kanwischer and Bachmann were acting on behalf of the board as “they were the highest authorities on personnel matters”.

His employment contract is subject to German law and an assessment of his performance is regularly carried out by the German authorities, he said.

Kanwischer, who denied any wrongdoing, said she will resign from the board at an extraordinary general meeting this month.