Cape Town – Khayelitsha community members have called for the removal of Andile Lili as the Enkanini Primary School governing body (SGB) chairperson after he allegedly assaulted the principal last year.
This also comes after the ANC MPL was recently convicted on two counts of attending illegal gatherings outside the Bellville Magistrate’s Court on August 12, 2014 and July 28, 2015 and inciting members of Ses’khona People’s Movement to kill.
Khayelitsha community activist Thulani Dasa said they joined residents at court last week to show solidarity with the female principal of the school, who was allegedly assaulted by Lili.
“The future of our kids is important and we can’t sit back while Lili is doing what he wants. We are appealing to him to allow the principal to do her job and if he doesn’t approve, then he must approach the Education Department to solve the problem and stop preventing the principal from entering the school premises.
“The incident is a manifestation of a deep-seated crisis in the school. It confirms Lili's ‘reign of terror’ at Nkanini Primary School and the usage of concomitant action against those with a different view in the school governing body.
“This incident confirms our assertion that Lili is not fit to serve as a chairperson of the SGB and his ill-behaviour has not made the school a conducive environment for teachers to work in and learners to learn.
“We’re appealing to Minister David Maynier to urgently remove Lili as chairperson of Nkanini Primary SGB because he was found guilty by a court of law on two counts of attending illegal gatherings and inciting members of Ses’khona People’s Movement to violence in 2015,” said Dasa.
WCED spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said they were aware of the allegations against Lili.
“The head of department had written to the SGB on January 16 and informed them of his intention to withdraw the functions of the SGB. In terms of the Act, the SGB has the opportunity to make representations to the head of department within 14 days of this letter. They have responded via their legal representative, requesting additional information. Therefore, the process is ongoing.
“The WCED has arranged since the start of the school term for the principal to report to the district office due to concerns for her safety. She has reported to the district office since,” said Hammond.
Enquiries to Lili’s lawyer had not been answered by deadline.
Lili, dubbed a “poo flinger” for his role in leading sanitation protests in 2014, was convicted in the Bellville Magistrate’s Court in May last year.
The charges related to Lili urging a crowd of Ses’khona supporters who gathered outside the Bellville Magistrate’s Court during 2014, to take the law into their own hands to deal with criminals.
Cape Times