Trade union Solidarity’ advised on Wednesday that its urgent application to set aside with immediate effect the suspension of Laerskool Schweizer-Reneke teacher Elana Barkhuizen will be heard in the Johannesburg Labour Court on Thursday.  

According to Solidarity Chief Executive Dr Dirk Hermann, the trade union will argue that the suspension was unlawful and that Barkhuizen was a victim of political opportunism.  North West education MEC Sello Lehari has apparently indicated that he would oppose the court application.  The school’s governing body will not oppose the application and indicated that it would abide by the ruling.  According to Anton van der Bijl, Solidarity’s head of Labour Law Services, Barkhuizen’s suspension was not within the ambit of labour law.  "Lehari acted way outside his powers by publically announcing her suspension as his decision,” Van der Bijl said.

• Read Solidarity’s press statement at SA Labour News

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