Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi says a decision has been made on the appeal by the Principle of Parktown Boys’ High against his dismissal and an announcement will be made on the matter soon.
Malcolm Williams was fired for charges related to the drowning of 13-year-old Enock Mpianzi at a Grade 8 orientation camp in January. He was found guilty on two of the three charges.
Mpianzi’s death sparked a public outcry.
Gauteng Education confirms dismissing Parktown Boy’s High principal:
Briefing the media earlier, Lesufi said the announcement will be made as soon as the relevant notification documents have been handed over to the principal and his legal team.
“The legal firm of the principal wrote a letter requesting myself, MEC for education, to recuse himself from hearing the appeal of the principal. The department felt that there’s no basis for the MEC to excuse himself from hearing the appeal and the appeal was presented and the MEC has made a decision. We are just awaiting the necessary notification documents to reach the principal so that he can be aware of the outcome.”
MEC Lesufi updates media on 2020 academic year:
Settlement with families
Lesufi has also confirmed that the family of Enoch Mpianzi has served his department with summons. The family has refused the compensation amount the department has offered it.
Lesufi however told the media that negotiations were under way to reach an out-of-court settlement with the family of 13-year-old Keamohetswe Seboko, whose body was found floating in the swimming pool of Laerskool Bekker in Magaliesburg in January this year.
“We tried our level best to persuade the Mpianzi family and their legal firm to accept the offer that we’ve presented as a department. Unfortunately, the family still insists that the department must give them R20 million. We have now formally received the summons to which the department will respond accordingly. Keamohetswe Seboko’s family, we also made a proposal to settle this matter out of court. The family is cooperating very well with the department and we remain hopeful that this matter will be resolved.”
Investigations into matric paper leak
Lesufi says the Basic Education Department has now launched investigations into the leak of three matric examination papers, adding that some learners were also caught attempting to cheat in the exams, with others writing the answers on their masks.
“We are now concluding our matric examinations. Unfortunately, we were hit by three paper leaks and the Minister (Angie Motshekga) already engaged the Hawks to assist us to track where these leaks come from and also to indicate how we can resolve this matter. It is also disappointing that thus far, we managed to get two learners who were found with cellphones and three learners that brought clip notes and others that attempted to utilise their masks so they can write answers and use that as a shield for them to behave in a manner that is unbecoming.”
Basic Education investigates leak of the matric Maths Paper Two:
