MORE than 1,000 Dr Nelson Mandela High School pupils in Crossroads, Cape Town, yesterday protested against their principal, accusing him of being a dictator and mismanaging funds.
Yesterday's episode at the school, named after the icon, was in direct contrast to the Mandela Day activities that saw the country united in celebrating his 94th birthday.
Pupils are calling for the removal of school principal Linda Mnotoza, whom they accuse of maladministration and corruption. There was no learning and teaching at the school yesterday and some pupils said Mnotoza had locked the school gates, resulting in many of them being stuck outside.
The protest was led by the provincial leadership of the Congress of South African Students (Cosas) and the ANC Youth League.
The police were also called to the scene and monitored pupils who sang and toyi-toyed outside the school gates. No incidents of violence were reported.
The pupils claim the school demanded that they pay a R100 deposit for books, something they failed to understand since they were a "no-fee" school.
They said the headmaster was a dictator who undermined both the student leadership and the school governing body.
"Mnotoza refuses to report or listen to us," one pupil said.
Pupils said the principal had been suspended sometime in March after their protests and they were surprised when he re-surfaced on Monday.
"Officials from the department (of education) visited the school on Monday and told us he had been found not guilty. They did not give us the reasons for his reinstatement," said one pupil.
Mnotoza was not available for comment yesterday. But Western Cape education department spokesman Paddy Attwell confirmed the disruption, saying it happened after morning assembly.
Attwell said the department investigated allegations against Mnotoza and found they were without foundation.
"The department placed him on compulsory leave to defuse a volatile situation at the school in February and March this year."
Attwell said their officials investigated various claims against him , and he was no longer suspended.
Dr Mandela High School pupils toyi-toyi
MORE than 1,000 Dr Nelson Mandela High School pupils in Crossroads, Cape Town, yesterday protested against their principal, accusing him of being a dictator and mismanaging funds.
Yesterday's episode at the school, named after the icon, was in direct contrast to the Mandela Day activities that saw the country united in celebrating his 94th birthday.
Pupils are calling for the removal of school principal Linda Mnotoza, whom they accuse of maladministration and corruption. There was no learning and teaching at the school yesterday and some pupils said Mnotoza had locked the school gates, resulting in many of them being stuck outside.
The protest was led by the provincial leadership of the Congress of South African Students (Cosas) and the ANC Youth League.
The police were also called to the scene and monitored pupils who sang and toyi-toyed outside the school gates. No incidents of violence were reported.
The pupils claim the school demanded that they pay a R100 deposit for books, something they failed to understand since they were a "no-fee" school.
They said the headmaster was a dictator who undermined both the student leadership and the school governing body.
"Mnotoza refuses to report or listen to us," one pupil said.
Pupils said the principal had been suspended sometime in March after their protests and they were surprised when he re-surfaced on Monday.
"Officials from the department (of education) visited the school on Monday and told us he had been found not guilty. They did not give us the reasons for his reinstatement," said one pupil.
Mnotoza was not available for comment yesterday. But Western Cape education department spokesman Paddy Attwell confirmed the disruption, saying it happened after morning assembly.
Attwell said the department investigated allegations against Mnotoza and found they were without foundation.
"The department placed him on compulsory leave to defuse a volatile situation at the school in February and March this year."
Attwell said their officials investigated various claims against him , and he was no longer suspended.
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