Event pays tribute to selfless teachers

MAIL paid tribute to teachers who had served the educational needs of the youth in the community above and beyond the call of normal duty.

By FARID SAYED

THE Movement Against Illegitimate Leaders (MAIL) paid tribute to 30 retired teachers at an award ceremony on Saturday November 9, 2024.

Under theme of ‘Honouring Our Teachers in Their Lifetimes’, this was the fourth year that MAIL paid tribute to teachers who had served the educational needs of the youth in the community above and beyond the call of normal duty.

At every award ceremony, MAIL also honoured an individual with the highest accolade, The Principled Principal Award.

At the inaugural event, which was held jointly with the MAIL Education Summit in March 2017, Brian Isaacs of South Peninsula High School received the prestigious award.

Yusuf Abrahams, who was the deputy principal at Cathkin High School, received the award in 2018.

Due to lockdown restrictions during the COVID-19 epidemic, the following awards event was held in 2022. Wesley Neumann, principal of Heathfield High School, was awarded the Principled Principal event. With support of the Heathfield High community, he recommended to parents to keep their children at home in June 2020 when the rate of infection of COVID-19 was quite high. Although Neumann acted solely in the interests of the students and the broader community, the Western Cape Education Department charged him with misconduct for disobeying the department’s ruling.

Rajen Rajkumar, of Pelican Park, received the Principled Principal award in recognition of his four decades of service to education. He began his career in Gauteng at the Heidelberg Primary School. After he relocated to Cape Town he took up a post at Starling Primary School in Rylands Estate where he served for a total of 38 years, with 28 years as principal. He retired in 2022.

Before the presentation of the Principled Principal award, the following teachers were honoured for the dedicated service to their schools and community:

Gail Symonds, Charmaine Le Kay, Nomakhosi Mbane, Desiree Klassen, Gloria Nombembe, Carol De Kock, Mylene Merstrid Smith, Zoliswa Mafenuka, Anton Lategan, Gerrit Gabriel Le Kay, Shaun Viljoen, Terrence Klassen, Fadli Wagiet, Alverna Johnston, Hendrina Williams, Khadija Ebrahim, Hemlata Govender, Sharon Grace Raphael, Igsaan Dramat, Terence Timmet, Nazeer Paulsen, Hanif Loonat, Lilian Standaar, Carlin Symonds, Khairunnisa Gaffoor, Aziza Abrahams  and Zurayah Baker.

You may also want to read

‘The Saint of the Poor in this town’

24 October 2020 - Updated on 15 November 2024

‘There can be no climate justice without gender justice’

31 August 2022 - Updated on 28 August 2024

SA coalition for Palestine urges mass march support

25 September 2025 - Updated on 26 September 2025

Labour Court victory for Wesley Neumann a triumph for justice and a tribute to courage

7 January 2026

Searching for my grandmother’s story

9 December 2024

Al Jama-ah celebrates ‘heroines of change’ at Bonteheuwel Women’s Day event

13 August 2025

Each retiring teacher was presented with an award certificate and a medal at the gala ceremony attended by the teachers’ partners and over 150 guests.

The keynote speaker at the event was the executive chairperson of Sekunjalo Investment Holdings, Dr Iqbal Survé. He lauded MAIL for being consistent in confronting ‘the injustice in our society, in our country and globally.’

Former principal at Harold Cressy High School, 94-year-old Victor Ritchie, delivered an insightful special address which drew from the years he and his peers spent in the education during what he described as the ‘struggle years’.

Declaring that the teachers did not use ‘the oppressive political system as excuses for not delivering their best results’, Ritchie added that the ‘struggle experience’ is one that teachers facing challenges currently can draw from.

‘We have to guard against the danger of robbing our children of one their greatest heritages; that of struggle. Struggle experiences, especially within a caring environment, play a significant role in compelling students to expand their mind power.’

Ritchie’s message to teachers was: ‘Our teachers were – and must remain – the embodiment, the lifeblood, the heart-and-soul, the protectors and the implementers of a values-based education.’

[Click here for Victor Ritchie’s full address delivered at the Honouring Our Teachers in Their Lifetimes award ceremony by the Movement Against Illegitimate Leaders’ (MAIL) on Saturday November 9, 2024.]