“The department will have a clear picture about the number of affected schools by tomorrow [Tuesday] morning, but we estimate up to 38 schools are affected,” Gauteng Education Department spokesperson Steve Mabona told News24 on Monday afternoon.

He said the department condemns the go-slow and all the concerned parties are working tirelessly to resolve the deadlock.

Protest action started at the Klipspruit-West Secondary School in Soweto last week Monday when parents called for the removal of a newly appointed black principal.

At the time, Patriotic Association of South Africa (Pasa) spokesperson Charis Pretorius said parents were frustrated over a black principal which was irregularly appointed by the department.

She denied that the protest was racially motivated.

“We are a majority coloured community. Then they appoint people to a selection committee who are illegitimate and create a shortlist where only one of the six candidates is coloured – when 11 coloured candidates applied,” Pretorius said.

“Why wasn’t the current caretaker even considered?”

According to its website, Pasa is a political party formed for marginalised people such as coloureds, the Khoi San, and Indians.