No one has been suspended pending any investigation. Provincial Education Departments have indicated that there was no need to take such steps. “Precautionary suspension” is an interim measure imposed, not as a disciplinary sanction, but for reasons of orderly administration. The employer must have valid and fair reason for imposing a precautionary suspension or transfer against an educator.
In the case of serious misconduct in terms of Section 17 of the Employment of Educators Act, the employer may suspend the educator on full pay for a maximum period of three (3) months. In the case of misconduct in terms of Section 18 of the same Act, the employer may also suspend an educator in accordance with the procedure contemplated in item 6 (1) of Schedule 2 of the Act, or transfer the educator to another post if the employer believes that the presence of the educator may jeopardise any investigation into the alleged misconduct, or endanger the well-being or safety of any person at the work-place.