Dismissed Principal Wesley Neumann Fights for Reinstatement
A legal dispute between former Heathfield High School principal Wesley Neumann and the Western Cape Education Department is heading to the Labour Court, reports EWN. Neumann was dismissed during the first wave of COVID-19 for refusing to reopen the school despite departmental instructions during the national lockdown. He is now seeking to enforce a ruling that ordered his reinstatement. Supporters argue the ruling confirms the department's case has no merit and say delays have harmed both Neumann and the school community. The department maintains that progress at the school should not be disrupted and has raised concerns about alleged bullying and financial irregularities in its response.
Lukanyo Calata to Testify on Behalf of Cradock Four Families
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Lukanyo Calata, son of anti-apartheid activist Fort Calata, will testify before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Cases Inquiry on behalf of the families of the Cradock Four, reports SABC News. The four activists, Fort Calata, Matthew Goniwe, Sparrow Mkhonto and Sicelo Mhauli, were murdered by the apartheid Security Branch in 1985. Six former police officers later sought amnesty from the TRC but were denied. Calata is expected to detail the families' long struggle to push the National Prosecuting Authority and South African Police Service to investigate and prosecute those responsible, a process the families believe has been deliberately obstructed.
Fire at Premier Hotel Near OR Tambo Triggers Mass Evacuation
A fire broke out at the Premier Hotel near OR Tambo International Airport on Wednesday night, prompting a large-scale response from City of Ekurhuleni firefighters, reports TimesLIVE. Emergency crews from several stations arrived to find the eight-storey building filled with smoke and worked alongside hotel staff to evacuate all guests and employees. One person was rescued from a seventh-floor balcony. Two others were treated for smoke inhalation but declined hospital care. The fire, which started in a seventh-floor room and spread to nearby rooms, left 11 rooms with heavy smoke damage. While investigations continue, officials suspect an electrical short-circuit from a plugged-in appliance as the cause. The hotel was about half full at the time of the incident.
