All quiet at Roodepoort school

Johannesburg – The situation at a primary school in Roodepoort has quietened down, Gauteng police said on Friday.

“It’s very quiet, the two sides have been separated and the police are keeping an eye on the situation,” said police spokesperson Katlego Mogale.

Roodepoort-school

Earlier, public order police had to form a buffer between two groups of protesting parents at Roodepoort Primary School.

A group of coloured parents started protesting at the school earlier this week, demanding a coloured principal.

They claimed the process of appointing black principal Nomathemba Molefe was flawed.

Children were prevented from entering the premises and schooling ground to a halt.

Gauteng education department spokesperson Phumla Sekhonyane said the department investigated the community’s claims last year.

“[Investigators] found that there was no evidence of the alleged irregularities in the process of appointing the current principal,” she said.

On Thursday, Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi called an emergency meeting with community members.

“At this meeting it was decided that we should act in the best interests of the children.”

Molefe was temporarily removed from the school while the department negotiated with parents.

The Star reported on Friday that police had to escort Molefe from the school while parents banged on her car and poured water on it.

They reportedly held placards and chanted, “die hoof moet uit [the principal must go]”.

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