The community of Durbanville and wider deeply mourns the passing of Leon Erasmus, beloved principal of Fairmont High School for the past eight and a half years.
Erasmus (59) passed away on Friday 6 June after a long and courageous battle with cancer. The immense impact he had on the lives of children, parents, colleagues and friends was widely praised in messages of condolences posted on Facebook from all over the country and even from a school in Denmark.
Fairmont High School posted the sad news on Facebook on Friday.
Immense strength
“Mr Erasmus was a man of immense strength, integrity and honour. He led our school with unwavering dedication and a deep sense of purpose, showing us – his family, our staff, students, and the wider community – what it truly means to fight.
“Fight for others. Fight for good. Fight for progress. And above all, fight to live. Today, we mourn the loss of a remarkable leader and human being. But more than that, we celebrate a life that left a lasting mark on each of us. His legacy of courage, compassion and excellence will continue to inspire Fairmont for years to come.
“While our hearts are saddened, we are deeply grateful to have had Mr Erasmus lead us all. He was not only at the helm of our school; he was at the heart of it. His legacy will live on in the values he upheld and the lives he touched, his guidance, vision, and spirit will forever remain part of our fabric.We extend our heartfelt condolences to his wife, daughters, son-in-law, grandson, mother and all loved ones during this incredibly difficult time,” the post reads.
Erasmus took the helm as principal at Fairmont High in January 2017 after the previous principal, Ron Dingley, retired the previous year.
He grew up in Queenstown in the Eastern Cape and acquired his BA (Phys ED) HDE at the University of the Free State. He started his teaching career at Queen’s College in Queenstown in 1990 and became head of department and second deputy headmaster at Queen’s College.
In 2004 he was appointed as senior deputy headmaster at Rondebosch Boys’ High School and in 2013 principal of Durban High School, one of KwaZulu-Natal’s top public schools.
Character building
In an interview with TygerBurger at the time of his appointment at Fairmont High, he stressed his vision for Fairmont High’s learners, that “discovering you true potential and what is important in your life, is essential and then reaching out to others will come naturally”. He continued that he believed character building should be the school’s main focus area. “If you are someone of great character, then your priorities will be in place,” he said to TygerBurger (“New principal takes helm at Fairmont HS”, 25 January 2017).
Several preprimary, primary and high schools in the northern suburbs of Cape Town, as well as schools in Durban and Stenhus Gymnasium in Holbæk, Denmark, left messages of condolences on Facebook.
“We mourn the loss of an inspiring leader whose strength, integrity, and vision touched so many lives.
“Many in our community came to know and admire Mr Erasmus during his time as the 14th headmaster at Durban High School, where he led with the same courage and compassion that continued to define his leadership at Fairmont.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, the Fairmont staff and students, and all who were privileged to know him,” was posted by Durban Preparatory High School.
“From the very first time we met him, Mr Erasmus made the impression of not only an extremely committed, competent and respected front figure for Fairmont High School but also a very pleasant, warm, humble and well-liked human being,” Lea Dankjær and Peter Mortensen posted on behalf of Stenhus Gymnasium.
Humble disposition
“Integrity, honour, pride and an exceptional humble disposition is what will always come to mind when your name is mentioned, Leon,” Bianca Woolstencroft posted. “Thank you for always taking the time to stop and greet, always a friendly check-in, always interested in the well-being of others. You instilled an all-new level of pride within the Fairmont High School community – from the learners to the parents, to our teachers and educators. Your strive for greatness was well received and will forever remain your legacy,” she posted.
DF Malan High posted as follows: “It is with a heavy heart that we learned of the passing of Mr Leon Erasmus, headmaster of Fairmont High School. He was a distinguished leader, educator and mentor to all the staff who were lucky enough to have known him and worked under him.
“His integrity and values driven leadership was a beacon, not only to the school, but to the entire Durbanville community.”
Tina Steyn wrote on Facebook: “Leon was the embodiment of quiet strength – always professional, yet never without warmth. His leadership was marked by dignity, calmness and an unwavering dedication to his school community. As a principal, he carried great responsibility with such grace that it often seemed effortless. He will be missed – for his steady hand, his gentle presence and the integrity he brought into every room. May we carry his memory forward by striving for the same kindness, professionalism, and grace that he so naturally lived out each day.”
Erasmus leaves behind his wife, Elmarie, and their two daughters.
