This comes as Lesufi appeared to lose patience yesterday after teaching was again halted at some schools in Eldorado Park because of teacher boycotts.

Lesufi, who visited the school yesterday, said he was on the verge of closing it if it continued to malfunction as a result of the stand off between teacher union South African Democratic Teachers Union (Sadtu) and some community members.

"I am meeting with parents on Thursday and we will make an announcement whether we have a [functioning] school or not.

"Any other person who wants to dictate to the state on who must be a principal or when a school must be open or closed must not cross that line because there are people assigned to run the school," Lesufi said.

He said teachers withdrew their labour without due process because of security concerns and that they were humiliated when locked out.

Lesufi said the department has formally hired a security company that will permanently stay at the school.

"We have entered into an agreement with law enforcement agencies to have a car stationed there and that there should be visible patrolling," he said.

Members of Sadtu had a sit-in at the district offices where they later held a closed meeting with Lesufi.

At Klipspruit West High School, 12 teachers and two general staff members did not report for duty.

In Eldorado Park Secondary School, 13 teachers did not report for duty and teaching took place in only a few classes.

Chairman of Sadtu in Eldorado Park, Desmond Luvhengo, said they will not return to class until their demands are met.

He did not want to say what the demands were.

Anthony Williams, the president of Patriots for Equality, said the level of insubordination in the school was "crazy" because of tension between teacher unions Sadtu and National Professional Teachers Organisation of South Africa.

Another parent, Rita Davis, said she was disappointed that teachers did not show up.

"I am very worried about our children's future. I agree that there must be tight security at this school," Davis said.

Source: Sowetan Live