A school principal from a private school faces suspension for allegedly harassing female teachers in an indecent way.
The school governing body (SGB) of Pietermaritzburg’s Merchiston Preparatory School, founded in 1892, went 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 denies the allegations and the vicious attack on my character and credibility, and in court papers accuses White of wanting his job and conspiring 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 (Keps).
One teacher said he moved to retrench her after she complained and a former Keps pupil told the media Bragin assaulted him.
Despite this, Bragin was employed at Merchiston primary school in February last year.
It is reported that when his wife learnt of a rumoured affair between Bragin and a staff member, she harassed the woman and sent her threatening WhatsApp messages, after which Bragin applied for two weeks “wellness leave”.
The governing body took the case to the Pietermaritzburg high court on an urgent basis in June, but the court ruled the matter wasn’t urgent. The department started its investigation into Bragin’s conduct this week.
When the SGB stopped Bragin’s R38,000 monthly payment, which he earned in addition to his salary, he successfully approached the labour court to have it reinstated.
Source: https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times/news/2023-09-03-battle-to-suspend-sex-pest-principal/
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