WATCH | ‘Teacher’ runs for safety as Heathfield High School girls punch and kick each other in classroom brawl

Amid the chaotic scenes, another girl tries to separate the pair. An adult, believed to be the teacher, can also be seen walking away from the ensuing chaos.

The poster of the video describes the fight as “very disheartening” and a sad reality: “This (fight) happened at the school today (23 January), even the educator takes himself out of harm’s way…. these girls can fight.”

She adds that with a matric pass rate at the school dwindling from 61,2% in 2022 to 50,5% in 2023: “All cannot be well at Heathfield High School.”

Western Cape Education Department (WCED) spokesperson Bronagh Hammond confirmed that a fight broke out between two Grade 8 learners at the school on Tuesday.

“A fight did occur this week. The school has instituted disciplinary measures.”

Hammond said the school has a curator principal. “There have been four curator principals, a fifth is currently in place. The costs are currently borne from the current staff establishment as the principal post is vacant.”

The post has been vacant since former principal Wesley Neumann was dismissed by the department.

In October 2021, the WCED found Neumann guilty of misconduct, failure to carry out a lawful order without just or reasonable cause and breaching the employer’s social media policies.

At the time, Neumann faced six charges, including that 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.