Johannesburg - There was a heavy police presence at Kilpspruit West Secondary school on Monday morning where a meeting between the Department of Education and the South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) was taking place.
This follows racial tensions at the school that resulted in some black teachers and general workers being barred from the school over allegations of misconduct.
In solidarity with the barred teachers, Sadtu withdrew teachers affiliated with them at the school and also from Eldorado schools.
While the meeting took place behind closed there, some pupils started arriving at the school, long after the bell had rung. Most did not even bother to wear school uniform.
Read:
Trouble at the school started a few months ago when the community rejected the black principal that had been hired. Teaching was temporarily suspended as there were running battles between the department and the community.
A resident who didn't want to be identified said the black principal should have been given a fair chance. However, he accused the department of failing them.
"I have three children who attend better schools because the department has failed us as the community. I now pay more but there is a school right here. Government has failed us, the education department has failed us and we've failed ourselves," he said.
According to him, nobody actually cares.
The security guard at the school confirmed that learners were present although there was just a few of them.