Johannesburg - The head of the embattled Curro Primary School in Roodeplaat, Pretoria, has been fired amid new allegations of racism at the school, Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi said on Friday.
“I met with the CEO and a board member of Curro Holdings on Wednesday, June 24. During this meeting the management of Curro Holdings pleaded with me not to withdraw the operating licence of Curro Roodeplaat. They assured us that racial segregation does not form part of their policies and that corrective measures will be taken against any school affiliated to the company that practices segregation,” Lesufi said.
He said his department had initially taken a decision to withdraw the operating licence of Curro Roodeplaat, effectively closing down the school, after a video emerged showing children being separated according to race during a school trip. The school had previously come under fire after parents wrote a complaint about ongoing racism at the school.
Curro private schools are owned by JSE listed Curro Holdings. Government pension fund investment arm, the Public Investment Corporation (PIC), is one of the shareholders at Curro Holdings.
“The existing executive head of Curro Roodeplaat Primary will be replaced, whilst the management structure at the school will be expanded to include a new operational head. Curro Holding committed that in future, school trip learners will be transported together and will not be separated according to language or race,” Lesufi added.
“On the basis of this commitment by Curro Holdings, the department has suspended its plans to withdraw the licence of the school pending the implementation of the above undertakings by Curro Holdings.”
Lesufi said he had held meetings with PIC management and the SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC). Curro Holdings was been given until the end of October 2015 to implement the agreed upon resolutions.
ANA