Bergview College management says decision to deregister school irrational & unlawful

JOHANNESBURG - Senior management at Bergview College in the Eastern Cape has argued that the decision to deregister the school was irrational and unlawful.
 
This is contained in papers the applicants filed before the provincial high court in Makhanda, where they seek to interdict Education MEC Fundile Gade from deregistering the institution.
 
Last week, Gade notified management of the decision following the rape of a seven-year-old learner, allegedly on school grounds.

ALSO READ:

• Police call for calm amid nationwide uproar over rape of 7-year-old EC girl

• GP Education MEC on rape of 7-year-old girl: 'It's time for action'

• Police top brass in EC amid uproar over handling of 7-year-old girl's rape case

The mother of the child alleges that the incident took place on 14 October last year, while the child was awaiting transport.
 
The applicants argued that MEC Gade was on a quest to punish the principal of Bergview College for refusing to submit a DNA sample.
 
They argued that Gade believed that the refusal warranted sufficient grounds for the deregistration of the school.
 
The applicants added that the principal had been subjected to a social media trial, found guilty and punished by way of revoking the school’s operating licence.
 
The litigants further argued that the school was also being penalised for not joining public calls demanding that the principal cooperate with law enforcement.
 
They argued that the decision to deregister the school on this basis was irrational, arbitrary and unlawful.