An Eastern Cape school principal‚ Wisizwe Billie‚ was left humiliated when protesters forced him to dig a trench and assaulted him and teachers in front of learners.
Billie related his harrowing experience to the SA Human Rights Commission which is conducting hearings on the impact of community protests on schools.
He said he was forced to dig a trench to prevent police from driving into the affected area in Elliotdale.
He was assaulted with an axe after the protesting community discovered that he had alerted police.
“The community was protesting because it had no electricity and water. We lost a lot of time of teaching and learning. Learners were denied access to the school.
“Some of the teachers stay far from school and on a particular day their transport was stopped 6km away from school and I had to take teachers myself to that point so that they could get their taxi.
“And when I got there I was forced to dig the road as the protestors were digging the road to make sure that there are no cars that could cross into the affected area‚” Billie told the commission.
He said he called the police after learners were intimidated against going to school.
“I intervened by calling the police to ask them to escort the learners. Police came and fired rubber bullets and learners were able to come to school.”
“I got a message that the protesters were coming after me. They came the following day armed with knives‚ spears and sticks‚ singing near the school gates.
“I called the police but I waited for six hours. I was physically assaulted and they wanted to kill me‚” he said.
Cars were burned and equipment was stolen‚ and the electricity supply to the school was cut.
“The SAPS is always siding with the protesters because they do not take action and they respond very late. I have laid a case of assault but there is nothing that is done.
“People cannot be allowed to wake up and decide to protest without permission .”
Principal tells of how he was forced to dig trench and assaulted by protesters
Billie related his harrowing experience to the SA Human Rights Commission which is conducting hearings on the impact of community protests on schools.
He said he was forced to dig a trench to prevent police from driving into the affected area in Elliotdale.
He was assaulted with an axe after the protesting community discovered that he had alerted police.
“The community was protesting because it had no electricity and water. We lost a lot of time of teaching and learning. Learners were denied access to the school.
“Some of the teachers stay far from school and on a particular day their transport was stopped 6km away from school and I had to take teachers myself to that point so that they could get their taxi.
“And when I got there I was forced to dig the road as the protestors were digging the road to make sure that there are no cars that could cross into the affected area‚” Billie told the commission.
He said he called the police after learners were intimidated against going to school.
“I intervened by calling the police to ask them to escort the learners. Police came and fired rubber bullets and learners were able to come to school.”
“I got a message that the protesters were coming after me. They came the following day armed with knives‚ spears and sticks‚ singing near the school gates.
“I called the police but I waited for six hours. I was physically assaulted and they wanted to kill me‚” he said.
Cars were burned and equipment was stolen‚ and the electricity supply to the school was cut.
“The SAPS is always siding with the protesters because they do not take action and they respond very late. I have laid a case of assault but there is nothing that is done.
“People cannot be allowed to wake up and decide to protest without permission .”
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