School interdicts looming march over learner placement

Laerskool Danie Malan in the north of Pretoria has obtained a court interdict against a protest planned for tomorrow at the school.

This primary school was the site of a protest, also over the placement of learners earlier, this month in which both teachers and learners were locked out.

“Our legal team managed to obtain an interim interdict against any group that wants to gain illegal access to the school and try to obstruct the school’s proceedings,” said the school’s governing board chairperson Karel van Zyl.

“Any person who violates this order will be arrested.”

A message to this effect was also shared with parents of learners at the school.

It came after a message, reportedly from the EFF, invited members to join a protest at Laerskool Danie Malan and Pretoria North High school.

A memorandum demanding that learners be placed at schools closer to their homes was understood to be submitted during the protest.

Van Zyl said the school has already arranged extra security for the week.

Parents would be informed immediately if they believed it will be safer to leave learners at home – “for now, we think that the interdict will ruin any plans”.

During the previous protest outside the school, a scuffle broke out between parents whose children were already placed at the school and parents demanding their children also be admitted.

The scuffle was broken up by onlookers and police.

Speaking on behalf of the so-called “Bittereinders” movement, founder and spokesperson Devon Hofmeyr said they would be there to support both police and private security companies, whether or not the march went ahead.

“We want to protect all children, regardless of race, as they all deserve an education,” he said.

Hofmeyr believed the protest should be held at the Department of Education’s offices, instead of disrupting any schools.

Meanwhile, Tshwane EFF secretary Nqobile Mhlongo distanced the political party from the planned march, saying that the poster doing the rounds on social media was not an official communique sent out to supporters.

Two other schools in the north of Pretoria have also been affected by similar protests since the 2021 school year started, namely Hoërskool Akasia and Hoërskool Gerrit Maritz.

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