[LISTEN] Elana Barkhuizen: It’s been a rough couple of weeks
The Labour Court in Johannesburg lifted the suspension of Laerskool Schweizer-Reneke teacher Elana Barkhuizen on Thursday.
Barkhuizen was suspended after a photo went viral, showing black children in a Grade R class sitting separately from white learners on the first day of the new academic year.
The primary school teacher, together with trade union Solidarity, turned to the courts as they believed her suspension was unlawful.
Barkhuizen maintained that she was not the teacher but merely took a picture to distribute to parents.
On Thursday, the court found that her suspension by North West Education MEC Sello Lehari to have been unlawful as she is an employee of the school’s governing body and not the education department.
Speaking to Jacaranda FM News shortly after her suspension was lifted, Barkhuizen admitted the past couple of weeks had been tough.
"Its been a rough few weeks but this is now a victory and I'm excited and I am ecstatic, and I am glad justice has been done. Yes, I am a happy girl.
"Social media can be a cruel place but can also be very understanding as well.”
Solidarity's Anton Van der Bijl said the trade union will study the judgment to see if Lehari has a case to answer.
"There is a great possibility that we will proceed with some sort of action against the MEC for the wrongful suspension. It’s evident that her reputation and her name was tarnished throughout the matter.
"So most probably we will proceed with some sort of defamation action against the MEC.”