Cape Town - The EFF said it’s not surprised Education MEC Debbie Schäfer has decided not to release the investigative report into the Brackenfell High School matric function.
This comes after Schäfer issued a statement on the report into a Brackenfell High School matric function, where the MEC announced the school had been cleared on alleged racism.
“It is thus clear this was a private event that was organised by parents of learners, who were disappointed the formal school farewell had been cancelled,” Schäfer said on Monday.
“The fact that people from other schools attended, shows it was not a ’school event’. It was not held on school property, as has been widely reported, despite repeated corrections.”
The EFF, who had been protesting against alleged racism at the school, were assaulted by parents and security guards near the school in November.
The MEC said that the report itself will not be released as “it would not be appropriate... given the need to protect third party, confidential or sensitive information contained in the document”.
EFF regional secretary Banzi Dambuza said they were not surprised Schäfer had not released the report.
“The report and the investigative team had to have been biased. However, we also really never thought anything good would come out of a party that investigates its own trauma," Dambuza said.
"Schäfer never wanted to really investigate the racism at Brackenfell High like the rest of her party; she just acted as if her department was unsettled by the racism claims and that they do not tolerate racism.
“The fact she would not involve the EFF in the investigation, even though we were the ones to bring to light that school’s scandal, goes to show her true intentions. One thing she needs to understand is we will not back down and let racists win.”
Dambuza said that Brackenfell belongs to all who live in Cape Town and the party intends to make it a community and school that will welcome learners from all over Cape Town.
“Schäfer and the DA should rather focus on cleaning their own backyard mess.”
Meanwhile, the organisation is currently focused on fighting the interdict case, applied for by Brackenfell High School SGB, which is set to be back in court three days before Christmas.
Almost four weeks ago members of the SGB applied for a court interdict against the EFF, to prevent the group from protesting at the school.
“At the moment our focus is on our court case against that school’s SGB. It’s going well and we’re looking forward to winning it. Racism has no place in our country and as the EFF we intend to make that known to all racists,” said Dambuza.
The application, which was postponed three times by Western Cape High Court Judge Siraj Desai, was finally heard on Monday morning.
During court proceedings Judge Desai expressed his discontent with how both the MEC’s office and the Brackenfell High SGB handled the incident. He is set deliver his judgment on December 22, 2020.
Cape Argus