Disa Primary School whistle-blower says her dismissal is unfair

It has been a year since a whistle-blower at Disa Primary School was dismissed from her job as a teaching assistant.

It was reported that many of the staff members faced retrenchments after protesting against alleged racism at the school in Hout Bay.

However, the school said the retrenchments process was planned due to a cut in donor funding.

Nicole Abrahams said it has been a year since she last set foot at the school and it has been tough.

“It has been a very tough year for me and my family because since I don’t have an income we are dependent on my mother’s social grant which is not enough,” she said.

She said as a result she is also suffering from depression because she is even struggling to get another job.

Abrahams said all she wants is for the case to be finalised so she can either go back to work or get her package.

“I have been going to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) for sometime now, I want this to come to an end, and I don’t understand why I’m not getting paid because I have not been officially dismissed,” she said.

She said she was not the only one staff member of colour that was affected but some were offered packages after being retrenched while others chose to go back to the school.

Disa spokesperson, Halli Manolakos-Tsehisi, said the school confirmed that Abrahams was dismissed in February 2020 for misconduct following a disciplinary hearing chaired by a member of the School Governing Body.

“Her dismissal relates to gross insubordination, dishonesty and breach of the trust relationship.

“She subsequently referred an unfair dismissal case to the CCMA the outcome which will be determined through arbitration in May 2021,” said Manolakos-Tsehisi.

Manolakos-Tsehisi said they strongly deny recent allegations that she was dismissed for whistle-blowing, although she did allege racism after her dismissal and these were unrelated to her dismissal.

“We will not tolerate any form of discrimination and racism, if she genuinely believes that the school unfairly discriminated against her and that the school dismissed her because she was a whistle-blower we urge her to confirm on record that her case is for unfair discrimination and for making a protected disclosure, and not for unfair dismissal due to misconduct,” said Manolakos-Tsehisi.

Western Cape Education Department (WCED) spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said Abrahams was not an employee of the WCED, she was employed by the Andreas and Susan Strüngmann Foundation therefore disciplinary hearings for misconduct are not administered by the department.

She said the salary arrangements are also administered by the SGB and they have informed them she was paid up until her dismissal.

-Weekend Argus

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