Roodepoort – praag.org

Race war erupts as Coloureds refuse black teachers

“It’s a full-blown colour war.” This was all Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi could say to describe the crisis paralysing Roodepoort Primary School.

On Tuesday, the row over his appointment of Nomathemba Molefe as principal spilt over into a fist fight between angry parents from the mostly coloured community and a black official from the Gauteng Department of Education.

On Monday, Lesufi had vowed to close down the school permanently if teachers continued to be threatened with violence by parents.

Black teachers have stayed away from school for a week, unprepared to subject themselves to either the intimidation or the risk to their lives. The school has already been shut down twice.

Given an ultimatum to return on Tuesday morning, they didn’t.

Angry parents thronged the reception area, swearing and cursing at the staff. They were incensed at being accused of arson attacks at the school, including a recent petrol bombing of the deputy principal’s car and firebombing the offices of the principal and her deputy.

“We won’t burn the school down, we built it ourselves,” the enraged group shouted at the official.

Black teachers have refused to report for duty for fear of being assaulted by members of the local coloured community.

Source: IOL

School to re-open amid racial tension with heavy security

Roodepoort Primary School will reopen on Tuesday, albeit under heavy police guard. The school was indefinitely closed down by Gauteng MEC Panyaza Lesufi on Friday after one group of coloured parents had been protesting the appointment of a black principal.

The announcement of the school’s reopening was made a meeting held with another group of parents on Monday night. Lesufi says he was concerned about the children who were caught in the crossfire.

At Monday night’s meeting, it transpired that many parents had not known the details of the happenings at the school, although they were aware that something was amiss as their children had frequently been going home early from school.

This group of parents showed support for Lesufi and celebrated the announcement that the school would be reopened.

The dissenting coloured community members and parents who have been protesting held a separate meeting on Monday night and threatened that they would wreak havoc if the school was not reopened by Tuesday.

The protesting parents want the new principal’s appointment to be rescinded despite a KPMG report claiming that the appointment was legitimate.

Woman wounded in Roodepoort taxi shooting

A woman was wounded on Tuesday in a shooting believed to be related to taxi violence in Roodepoort, Johannesburg metro police said.

“The injured female was taken to hospital and four taxis were damaged,” Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar said.

The shooting occurred at the intersection of Ontdekkers and CR Swart roads on the West Rand.

He said the road would be closed until further notice to allow police time to investigate. The reason for the suspected taxi violence was not yet known and would form part of investigations.

SA Police Service spokesman Constable Vincent Mashiteng said police were hunting for three man who fled the scene in a blue Toyota Corolla after the shooting.

He said the three were on foot when they started shooting at a taxi and then randomly shot at passing cars.

“At least 10 shots were fired with one hitting the woman who was transported to hospital,” he said.

No one in the taxi was hurt.

The shooting came a day after a Diepsloot man was wounded after taxi drivers in the area went on strike.

The drivers were demanding to be promoted to taxi owners. The man was standing with other taxi drivers when a silver-grey Mercedes-Benz drove up.

An argument ensued between the taxi drivers and the occupants of the car, one of whom opened fire, hitting the man in the lower body.

Mashiteng could not confirm whether the two incidents were linked, but said there had been taxi problems in the area for some time. No arrests had been made. – Sapa

Policemen settle ‘kaffir’ claim

A settlement has been reached in a case involving the alleged use of a racially derogatory remark by one high-ranking policeman to another, The Star reported on Monday.

SAPS Roodepoort director Eben McLaren opened a claim for R1 million in damages against the minister of police and two police officers, claiming that the two officials falsely instituted crimen injuria charges against him. The case was set to be heard in the High Court in Pretoria last week.

Captain Victor Pambo, of Lonehill, claimed McLaren called him a ‘kaffir’ while other police members were getting into his vehicle at the intersection of Bosman and Pretorius Streets. McLaren allegedly thought Pambo was committing a traffic violation.

Pambo opened a criminal case of crimen injuria against McLaren, as well as an internal police grievance. The charges were later withdrawn and McLaren was acquitted in his disciplinary hearing.

The trial was set down for six days last week, but was averted when the parties reached a settlement.

According to the settlement, the minister of police would pay half of McLaren’s legal fees for the process of instituting the damages claim.

This was not to be interpreted as an admission of liability and was to be considered as full and final settlement on the matter. – Sapa

Power cuts cause road chaos in and around Johannesburg

Traffic was affected by power outages on the West Rand and parts of northern Johannesburg on Thursday morning, Johannesburg metro police department (JMPD) said.

“We are experiencing power outages in the West Rand: Roodepoort, Florida, Constantia Kloof. Also, as well as in Rosebank, and along William Nicol in the Fourways area,” said Inspector Edna Mamonyane.

Traffic lights usually fail during power outages.

“We advise motorists to please be patient and respect one another as we know that people are going to be edgy and late for work,” she said.

“JMPD and the Outsurance points people are going to do the best they can under the circumstances but unfortunately will not be able to cover each and every affected intersection.” – Sapa