Labour court reinstates Wesley Neumann as principal of Heathfield High

The legal battle between Wesley Neumann and the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has come to an end after the labour court reinstated him as a principal at Heathfield High School.

On Monday, January 5, the acting judge set aside Mr Neumann's dismissal and replaced the sanction with a final written warning.

Mr Neumann faced disciplinary action in September 2020, after he refused an instruction to reopen his school during the Covid-19 pandemic, citing safety concerns for staff, pupils, and the wider community (“Ex-principal keeps fighting,” Southern Mail, May 22).

In October 2021, a WCED disciplinary process found him guilty of six counts of misconduct, citing that he went against directives from the head of department at the time, Brian Schreuder.

When offered a demotion to department head at one of three schools, he refused and opted instead to challenge his dismissal.

In June 2023, the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC) ruled that Mr Neumann's dismissal was appropriate.

Mr Neumann took the matter under review in the labour court.

Speaking after the ruling, WCED spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said the department's legal counsel is currently reviewing the judgment, and a decision on whether to appeal will be taken in due course.

"While the Labour Court overturned some of the previous findings, it upheld one of the charges—namely, that the language used by Mr Neumann in written correspondence to the Head of Department was disrespectful and amounted to insolence...However, the acting judge reduced the dismissal to a final written warning. This is but one aspect of the ruling that is being carefully considered," said Ms Hammond.

Meanwhile, Brett Herron, secretary of the Good Party - the political party Mr Neumann joined as PR councillor, said the ruling was a clear and decisive victory for justice, the rule of law, and accountable governance, bringing an end to more than five years of unjust persecution.

"Neumann is not only an experienced and respected educator, but also a duly elected City of Cape Town councillor for the Good Party. From the outset, Good has maintained that the actions taken against him were neither fair nor lawful and were driven by political hostility rather than any legitimate concern about his performance or integrity. 

"This case stands as a damning indictment of the WCED and the political leadership that chose to pursue a personal and losing legal battle at enormous cost to the public," added Mr Herron.

Terrence Smith, chairperson of the Special Action Committee – Education (SAC-E), said: “The Special Action Committee–Education (SAC-E) welcomes the judgment of the labour court ordering the retrospective reinstatement of Mr Wesley Neumann as principal of Heathfield High School.

"This ruling represents a decisive affirmation of justice, fairness, and due process, and brings to an end a protracted and painful chapter spanning more than five years."

“We extend our deepest commendation to Mr Neumann and his family, who endured immense sacrifice, uncertainty, and hardship throughout this ordeal. Their resilience, dignity, and steadfast belief in justice over the past five years are truly admirable,” he said.

The committee saluted the Heathfield High School community and the broader community for their "unwavering support of Mr Neumann. Their solidarity, courage, and refusal to be intimidated were instrumental in sustaining him on what was an extremely difficult road towards justice. Without this collective support, the journey would have been far more daunting," said Mr Smith.

IOL sent Mr Neumann a query, but he had not replied at the time of publication.