Heathfield High Principal Wesley Neumann to challenge WCED in court

Heathfield High School Principal Wesley Neumann’s application to interdict his disciplinary hearing will be heard on Tuesday 27 October 2020. The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) confirmed that it would be opposing the interdict with “comprehensive papers”.  

Cosatu Western Cape  Provincial Secretary Malvern de Bruyn said Cosatu would be joining the community at Heathfield High School on Tuesday in support of Wesley Neumann. 

“The case will be live-streamed in the hall,” said De Bruyn. 

According to the Cape Times, Neumann faces multiple charges after he, earlier this year, refused to reopen the school amid the COVID-19 infection peak. Neumann allegedly approached the courts to have his disciplinary hearing postponed and media reports followed that the court granted him an interdict to halt the proceedings. 

The WCED, however, denied the claims saying that it was “blatantly false and misleading”. 

NEUMANN’S APPLICATION TO INTERDICT DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS 

WCED Director of Communications Bronagh Hammond told The South African that Neumann’s interdict application would be heard on Tuesday. 

“Mr Neumann’s application to interdict his disciplinary proceeding for an indefinite period will be heard today. The WCED will be opposing it and have submitted comprehensive papers in this regard. It’s not clear if the judgement will be handed down today or reserved,” said Hammond. 

The disciplinary hearing, which was scheduled to take place on Wednesday 28 October 2020, may have to be rescheduled based on Tuesday’s outcome. 

“We are not sure about finality today, we may have to change the date of the disciplinary,” added Hammond. 

WCED CLAIMS PRINCIPAL WAS NOT GRANTED AN INTERDICT  

Earlier this month, Hammond said statements that the Labour Court granted Neumann an interdict against the WCED was false.

“Mr Neumann’s application to interdict his disciplinary proceeding for an indefinite period will still be heard. This was done by agreement between our lawyers and the lawyers for Mr Neumann.  We, therefore, welcome the decision by the Labour court to postpone Mr Neumann’s court application,” said Hammond.  

“Mr Neumann served court papers only on Friday night, wanting the case heard this morning. He has been aware of the charges against him for over a month, but has filed at the last minute before his internal hearing. We thus had no opportunity to prepare papers opposing his claim. The postponement until 27 October 2020 will give us the opportunity to do so,” added Hammond. 

Hammond said Neumann had an opportunity to engage with the Head of Department before disciplinary charges were brought against him, however, he did not take up the offer. 

Neumann has since garnered support and many well wishes on Facebook.