The legal bill of the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) against Heathfield High School principal Wesley Neumann has reached over R663 000, raising eyebrows about the department’s priorities.

A Cape Times report says the amount includes R581 026 for legal representation and R82 300 that went towards the presiding officer.

About R103 718 of the R581 026 was spent on legal counsel for the Labour Court matter, and R477 30 for the disciplinary hearing.

Neumann faces dismissal which stems from refusing to reopen the school last year amid the Covid-19 infection peak.

WCED spokesperson Bronagh Hammond commented: ‘The WCED is entitled, as is Mr Neumann, to have legal counsel. We cannot be criticised for getting legal counsel for such an application as it is common practice to get counsel in such a matter. Mr Neumann also chose not to have union representation at his hearing and instead opted for legal counsel. We thus went the same route’.

According to Hammond, there were 26 days scheduled for the hearing – the department closed its case after six days and Neumann’s defence lasted 19 days.

Heathfield High School Governing Body (SGB) spokesperson Brandon de Kock said the department wasted colossal amounts of taxpayers’ money on trying to get rid of one person.

‘The WCED is unethical and this amount can never ever be justified. Mr Neumann was only protecting the children and had their best interests at heart. The decision was taken by the SGB and he merely implemented it. There was absolutely no way he should have been charged for implementing a resolution taken by the SGB. These charges are of a personal nature and stem from victimisation and bullying on the behalf of the department.’

Full Cape Times report