Heathfield High School was temporarily closed on Wednesday 17 August following disruptions at the school.
Police conducted search and seizure operations at the school where various items including drugs and knives were confiscated.
Western Cape Minister of education David Maynier says the safety of learners and staff is a priority.
“Due to ongoing gang related issues within the community, which has filtered onto the school premises, the school management team, together with other law enforcement agencies and the department, implemented various safety control measures at the school in order to protect teachers and learners.
“Grades 9, 11 and 12 returned to class this morning (Thursday 18 August) without incident. Law enforcement is on site, and if any learners refuse to go into class and learn, their parents will be contacted.
“Those that continue to disrupt the school environment will face the disciplinary and/or legal consequences of their actions.”
On Monday 15 August parents were notified in a letter that the main gate would be manned by law enforcement officers daily.
Learners were requested to wear their school uniform at all times, to prevent other people from entering the school premises.
When seize and search operations began on Tuesday morning, however, some learners showed resistance by pelting the vehicles of law enforcement with stones.
Wayne Dyason, spokesperson for law enforcement, says around 30 law enforcement officers were stationed at the school.
“This morning (Tuesday), a team of 30 law enforcement officers were present at the school to prevent any drugs or dangerous weapons being brought onto the school premises.
“Unfortunately, some learners took exception to the presence of the officers and started stoning City vehicles. Two law enforcement vehicles were damaged. Law enforcement officers will remain on scene until order is restored.”
According to Maynier, such behaviour by learners is inexcusable, and will not be tolerated under any circumstances.
“Disappointingly, some learners decided to cause a disruption, which resulted in violence towards the law enforcement officers.
“The events today further confirm the need to ensure access control and increased monitoring at the school.”
He further added that various items were confiscated from learners during the search and seize operation.
“While learners were entering the premises, law enforcement officials found various items that were found to be illegal on school premises. Dagga, drugs, knives and cellphones were confiscated.
“More concerning was that two males, who are not enrolled in the school, had attempted to enter the school premises dressed in Heathfield High’s school uniform. The two males were apprehended for trespassing. Additionally, one male was arrested for drug possession,” says Maynier.
He urged parents to play their part in ensuring learners take their education and safety seriously.
“We appeal to parents to play their role and that learners do not engage in such lawlessness again.”
According to parents, the school has been in turmoil since the removal of former principal Wesley Neumann.
He was accused of insubordination and misconduct for allegedly going against the department’s decision to have children back at school at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
Following an internal appeal process and the outcome on Friday 13 May, Neumann was dismissed unless he accepted an offer of demotion at another school.
Ivan Hendricks, a parent of one of the learners, said the school was a ticking time-bomb.
“Heathfield High is a time bomb. I’ve personally confiscated knives and iron bars from learners. Parents need to intervene with their own children. Things are getting worse; the department is putting money into fruitless expenditure instead of reinstating Mr Neumann. And the key factor is that learning is supposed to take place but is not.”
He further adds that learners are very angry.
“They are angry and you can’t change their mindset, I was there at the beginning when all of this started with Mr Neumann. Learners wanted to turn vehicles upside down and I was there risking my life to calm them. From then until now there has been no learning.
“They refuse, they are rude to anyone who tries to tell them anything.”
Hendricks expressed that it was the wrong time to be adding more stress to the volatile situation.
“These mitigating steps the department and law enforcement are taking are at the wrong time. There are around 200 matriculants, they are devastated and their futures are at stake.
“How on earth can they concentrate in a volatile situation in the classroom?”
Catherine Wyngaard, another parent, says the School Governing Body (SGB) is making decisions without consulting with the parents.
“They are doing things without consulting parents and learner lives are at risk. They are also back to the Covid schedule, without first consulting the parents.”
In a letter Wyngaard addressed to the school on Thursday 18 August she asked why there was no interaction between parents, the SGB and principal.
“Why not let the parents have a meeting and come to a solution with the help of all parties involved.
“This is our children we are talking about. Law enforcement will just cause more havoc than anything else. Is this going to help by keeping the teachers and the learners that really want to learn, safe?”
She adds that she is concerned about learner safety and their future.
“I’m really worried about this whole situation.
All of us need to sit and put our heads together to find a solution to this ongoing problem at this school.
“Body bags are going to come out of that school because of power and stubbornness. We need to think of the future of children. I can truly say I’m very disappointed in how the school has been managed.”
