JOHANNESBURG - Cosatu in Gauteng, as well as some of its affiliates, including teachers' union Sadtu and the ANC, will lead a march to the embattled Hoërskool Overvaal in Vereeniging on Thursday.

The school has been the scene of ongoing and sometimes violent protests since the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) lost a court case against it just before schools re-opened for the 2018 academic year.

Sadtu Gauteng vows to put more pressure on Hoërskool Overvaal SGB https://t.co/11jJytKYN0 via @Inside Education Inspiring Minds

— SADTU National. (@SadtuNational) January 24, 2018

The court ruled the Afrikaans-medium school does not have to accommodate 55 English-speaking pupils. The GDE is appealing the judgment.

There has been a heavy police presence at the institution with more than 40 people arrested for public violence. 

READ: Questions asked about education department's role in Overvaal drama

On Monday, Basic Education minister Angie Motshekga said the protests were violating pupils' right to education and called for them to stop.

Sadtu in Gauteng said Thursday's march will end with officials handing over memoranda of demands to the school governing body and education district offices. 

The school decided to close today in anticipation of the protest march.

eNCA