The David and Goliath battle between Heathfield High principal Wesley Neumann and the Western Cape Education Department will forge ahead before the Labour Court this week through an urgent application made by Neumann. 

Neumann will approach the Labour Court on an urgent basis on Friday where he will seek an enforcement order to compel WCED to comply with the judgment made for his reinstatement.

Neumann has not yet returned to his position as principal of the school after the WCED filed their notice of intention to appeal against the decision by judge acting judge de Kock who set aside Neumann’s dismissal and replaced the sanction with a final written warning. 

Special Action Committee-Education (SAC-E) spokesperson, Terrence Smith, said: “Despite these clear judicial pronouncements, the WCED has continued to delay compliance, unnecessarily prolonging a matter that has already caused significant harm to Mr Neumann and instability within the Heathfield High School community. This sustained resistance to lawful court orders reflects a troubling disregard for the rule of law and judicial authority.

“This case has now been drawn out for far too long. It raises serious concerns about accountability within the Department and the treatment of school leaders who act in the best interests of their communities. SAC-E will therefore seek a decisive enforcement judgment to ensure that Neumann can return to his rightful position as principal of Heathfield High School without further delay,” said Smith.

Counsel for Neumann, Advocate Vernon Seymour confirmed that Neumann is still not officially back at the school pending the WCED’s appeal outcome. 

Seymour said that the timelines of appeals cannot be estimated. 

“We are hoping that on Friday the court will grant an application that Neumann can return to work while the appeal is proceeding,” said Seymour.

Education MEC David Maynier confirmed that Neumann has not yet returned to his position as principal. 

“In terms of section 18(1) of the Superior Courts Act, the Labour Court judgment is suspended, which means the order to reinstate is suspended. Wesley Neumann has now applied for an exception to this rule, and the judge postponed the matter to 13 February 2026 because his attorney bungled their application,” said Maynier.

Maynier said law enforcement had been visible at the school but denied the probe whether it was to keep Neumann off the premises. 

“Law enforcement was present at the school on Monday, 2 February 2026, because of the risks of further disruptive action by Wesley Neumann’s supporters, given their behaviour on Friday, 30 January 2026 which caused distress to learners and teachers…Disrupting schooling is now an offence in terms Section 3(7) of the South African Schools’ Act, and we will take the necessary steps to protect Heathfield High School,” said Maynier.

In an excerpt from an affidavit before the court, School Governing Body chairperson, Aziza Syce said: “There are people simply peddling untruths in order to create a certain narrative that everything is ‘hunky-dory’ at Heathfield High School under the current principal…As the chairperson of the SGB and someone who actually knows what is happening at our school, I can safely state, nothing is further from the truth,” said Syce. 

Further in her affidavit, Syce expressed concern about a “breakdown in discipline, concerns about learner safety and loss of confidence and trust in school management”. 

 chevon.booysen@inl.co.za

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