MASHUDU SADIKE
A GAUTENG teacher who was accused of racism has won a case brought against her at the Education Labour Relations Council (ELRC).
The arbitration ruled yesterday that Anneke Smit who was fired from her job as a teacher at a Pretoria school, was falsely accused of racism, suspended and unfairly dismissed in September 2021.
The arbitration also ruled that Smit receives 10 months’ damages and she may return to the school in her position as a teacher at Hoërskool Montana in Pretoria North on August 1.
Speaking to Pretoria News yesterday, Solidarity Union representing Smit accused Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi of personally rejecting her application to appeal.
Solidarity spokesperson Anlia Archer said: "During the hearing it was also found that the charges against her, as well as the procedure followed in respect of Ms Smit’s dismissal were unfounded and she should therefore be reinstated in her post.
“It is outrageous that a teacher’s life and work were snatched from her simply because of false charges of racism being brought against her.”
Archer added that that there was no place for charges of racism in education every time discipline was involved.
"In Ms Smit’s case the word “polisiemannetjie” (the Afrikaans diminutive for policeman) was taken as ‘police monkey’ and hence an investigation was instituted against her resulting in her dismissal.
“Quasi-racism cannot be the charge every time someone is unhappy with an interaction that took place in the classroom. In this case, a whole family’s life was disrupted by one false accusation,” Archer contended.
"Solidarity denounces in the strongest terms the way in which Ms Smit was dismissed and the ease with which the unfounded allegations were accepted by the authorities at the Gauteng Department of Education.
"That something straightforward, which is happening in classes across the country every day, is wrongfully distorted into an accusation that could ruin someone’s whole life is a sensitive matter. We are venturing on dangerous terrain if we give children the power to end a teacher’s career spanning many years by one false accusation,” Archer said.
Lesufi referred questions to his spokesperson Steve Mabona who had not responded. The story will be updated when he responds.