Sunday Times reports that a top boys’ school is battling to suspend its principal who allegedly sexually harassed women staff, improperly hired his own wife, became drunk on school tours, and told parents at a quiz night that it was “no wonder your boys are so f***ing stupid – you parents can’t even answer the questions”.

The school governing body (SGB) of Merchiston Preparatory School in Pietermaritzburg – founded in 1892 – has gone to court to try to get the KwaZulu-Natal education department to suspend principal Llewellyn Bragin pending an investigation into his conduct. However, the department suspended his deputy, Eric White, for reasons it refused to divulge, in a move the SGB said was “contemptible and inconsistent”. Bragin, meanwhile, denies the allegations and the “vicious attack on my character and credibility”, and in court papers accuses White of wanting his job and conspiring with the SGB to oust him. Attached to the affidavit by Merchiston’s SGB chair Warren Smith are allegations that Bragin also verbally abused staff while he was deputy principal at Johannesburg’s King Edward VII Preparatory School. Despite this, Bragin was employed at Merchiston in February last year. Attached to the SGB’s 200-page court application are copies of staff complaints addressed to the SGB's lawyers. The affidavit further states that the teachers also laid complaints against Bragin with the SA Council of Educators (Sace). The SGB took the case to the High Court in Pietermaritzburg on an urgent basis in June, but the court ruled the matter was not urgent. The department started its investigation into Bragin’s conduct last week.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Sabelo Skiti at Sunday Times (subscriber access only)

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