"SAPS is on Their Way": Roosevelt High Principal’s Voice Note At Matric Dance Shutdown Goes Viral

• Roosevelt High School principal Cristèl Venter was caught on a leaked voice note scolding matrics after their dance was shut down early
• The matric dance at Avianto Hotel in Muldersdrift descended into chaos, with reports of underage drinking, drug use, and a gun being pulled on a staff member
• South Africans online rallied behind the principal, praising her for standing firm against the learners' unruly behaviour

Roosevelt High School principal Cristèl Venter is at the centre of a viral moment after a voice note of her confronting matric learners at their dance made rounds online. The recording, which leaked on social media, captured Venter dressing down learners whose behaviour forced her to shut the matric dance down entirely.

The matric dance was held at Avianto Hotel in Muldersdrift during the third-term school holidays. Venter, who had initially planned to skip the evening due to illness, said she had no choice but to show up. She told learners in the recording:

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"I had to drag myself out of my house because I'm shutting down your matric dance — because of guns, dr**s and drunk people vomiting all over Avianto."

She went on to describe how a driver had pulled a gun on a staff member, and how another learner had bumped a staff member with a car when asked to move along. Her tone was firm and direct:

"I suggest you finish quickly because SAPS is also on their way."

Principal stood her ground at Avianto Hotel

Venter had previously penned an open letter addressing the incident publicly, detailing underage drinking, drug use, and threats made against staff. After shutting the dance down, she and her staff remained with learners until parents arrived to collect them. Roosevelt High School subsequently disabled its social media platforms following the backlash.

Podcaster Penuel Mlotshwa has since visited the school to speak with learners about accountability and responsible behaviour.

Here the recording here.

Mzansi backs the principal

Comments on the South African's Facebook page were largely supportive of Venter's no-nonsense approach:

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@Sharize Billings Barends wrote:

"Well done Ms V"

@Heather Ann Beykirch said:

"That's just her doing her job! Their behaviour was totally unacceptable and well done to her 👏👏👏"

@Bev Austin noted:

"This principal is needed in schools in SA, with the unruly behaviour in schools nowadays. Parents should be grateful for her actions."

@Jolene February-Jones added:

"She is for discipline and doing her job well ❤️👍"

@Judy Rizzo said:

"Not just bad behaviour, dr**s, under the influence, a gun that was pointed. Good for her."

@Marlene Steinmann simply wrote:

"Leadership! Well done! 👏👏👏"

@Carmen Blumrick agreed:

"What a leader 👏 Well done 💪"

More Briefly News stories on matric dance

• Roosevelt High School's matric dance at Avianto Hotel was shut down early after learners allegedly arrived intoxicated, and the school is investigating.
• Cape Town matriculant @staceythumamina made a memorable matric dance entrance in Xhosa traditional regalia, cheered by neighbours and praised on TikTok.
• A South African Grade 12 learner stunned guests by arriving at his matric dance in a massive Volvo Globetrotter semi-truck, earning South African praise online.

Source: Briefly News