The Gauteng education department has confirmed that Crowthorne Christian Academy in Midrand is operating illegally and learners will be placed in other new schools. The department said the learners will be relocated to neighbouring schools around Midrand. 

The school drew attention this week when the principal's husband, who also happens to be the owner Hendrick Booysen (51), assaulted a learner and her mother over dreadlocks. In a widely-circulated video, Booysen forcefully removed a teenage learner and her mother from the classroom stating that there is a policy that prohibits dreadlocks. The encounter has since gone viral leading to EFF picketing outside the school, which has been closed indefinitely since Wednesday. Booysen was arrested and charged with two cases of assault. He appeared in the Midrand Magistrates' Court and was granted R2,000 bail. National Prosecuting Authority Gauteng spokesperson Phindile Mjonondwane confirmed that Booysen was arrested on Thursday. "The case stems from an incident that happened on 14 August 2023, where there was a disagreement between the Crowthorne school principal and a learner's mother regarding the school policy in relation to the learner's dreadlocks. The argument resulted in the school principal's husband allegedly violently pushing the learner and her mother," Mjonondwane said. Booysen will re-appear in court on 2 October. Despite several attempts to make the school understand that dreadlocks were actually natural hair, the principal and her husband insisted they were extensions and were prohibited.

The Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) spokesperson Steve Mabona condemned the incident. "The department is aware of the incident at the said school. We condemn any form of ill-treatment of the affected learner and we will not tolerate any discrimination against learners. It must be noted that the said school is illegally operating and the learner was offered alternative schooling and counselling by the GDE." Mabona said the school was operating as a fly-by-night because the school's name was changed without following the correct procedure. "The department can confirm that the Crowthorne Christian Academy is closed indefinitely,and the learners of the said school will be placed in neighbouring schools," he said. The school officially shut its doors on yesterday and notified parents via text message.