PARENTS and EFF exchanged blows at a high school during a protest about a matric dance on Monday.
Cape Town police had a hard time separating the parents from the Brackenfell High School and EFF protesters outside the school earlier today.
The matric dance allegedly featured white pupils and excluded black pupils.
From videos on social media, the violence started after the visibly angry parents appeared to provoke the protesters and told them to leave.
They were hurling insults and pointing fingers as fists flew in the scuffle.
According to the Education Department of the Western Cape the matric farewell was cancelled months ago because of Covid-19.
Western Cape Education Department spokeswoman Bronagh Hammond said this was a private party at a private venue.
“It was organised by some parents for 42 pupils out of 254 matriculants,” said Hammond.
“Many pupils at many schools arranged private matric celebrations over the past month because of matric balls being cancelled. Many of the events were small and within friendship circles. Neither the school, nor the Department has the authority to intervene in what people do in their private time.
Western Cape Department of Education MEC, Debbie Schafer condemned both the actions of the EFF members and the parents.
“Violent attacks are simply not acceptable and will in no way benefit our pupils. Violence is also not the solution
to solving disagreements,” said Schafer.
“The Department cannot and will not take action against teachers who were invited as guests and attended a private event which they did not organise and had no prior knowledge of the attendees. We are not in the business of prescribing who people must invite to private events outside of school property.”
