Pupils at Port St Johns Secondary School in Eastern Cape threatened to burn down their school after they accused the principal of practising witchcraft.

Police spokesman Captain Mduduzi Godlana said chaos erupted at the school in the morning when pupils disrupted learning by burning wood and car tyres at the school's entrance gate.

"When we got to the scene there were about 300 learners chanting and dancing, calling for the school principal to be removed. The learners are accusing the principal of practising witchcraft. They say the principal makes them sick and when they are sick he does not offer them assistance," Godlana said.

He said a group of 50 parents including members of the school governing body met with teachers at about 11am to find a way forward.

"The tension subsided for a while during the meeting, but learners again gathered in front of the office where the meeting was taking place and began singing and dancing again." Godlana said the meeting was disrupted, resulting in teachers and the principal going home.

"The school is closed, we monitored the situation until everyone had left the premises. There was no damage done to the school and there were no injuries reported," Godlana said, adding that no one was arrested and no case had been opened.

A response to questions sent to the department of education was not received at the time of going to press.