Cape Town - Charges against Heathfield High peace promoter and mediator, Professor Brian Williams, have been dropped.
The labour law and conflict mediation specialist was appointed by the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) in May to bring about stability following increased protests at the school after former principal Wesley Neumann rejected the department’s demotion offer.
Williams said the charge of common assault was dropped by State prosecutors as there were no facts to support the allegations made by educator Rofieka Benjamin, who was also Student Governing Body and Support Action Committee (SAC) member in support of Neumann.
Benjamin opened the case at the Steenberg police station, with Williams filing a counter-complaint for assault, crimen injuria and intimidation against the educator, who allegedly physically and verbally attacked him.
Williams said the charges were driven by a malicious agenda.
“I was appointed as a peace facilitator to help with bringing peace and calm to Heathfield High school.
“I was able, with the support of key stakeholders, to get learners back to class on June 1, 2022. There was a physical attempt to prevent me from meeting teachers on the morning of June 3, 2022.
“I refused to bow to this violent pressure,” Williams said.
Williams dropped the counter-complaint made against the educator, after the charge was dropped.
Benjamin said the decision to drop the charges was not made by her.
“I am extremely disappointed by the decision of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) not to prosecute my attacker. The NPA did not interview me to explain my side of the story.
“The investigator had an inherent bias against me and never ever gave me feedback or was available when I asked to meet him. I feel the justice system betrayed me as a female.”
Police spokesperson Wesley Twigg said the case was withdrawn at the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court.
Meanwhile, five School Governing Body members have allegedly been dismissed by the school.
WCED spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said: “The school has faced severe financial difficulties, leading to the difficult decision by the SGB to retrench SGB staff members, despite the best efforts of the caretaker principals to raise funds to retain them.
“There is no other reason for this decision – one that the former principal had himself proposed prior to his dismissal.”
shakirah.thebus@inl.co.za