Johannesburg - Racism is rife at schools across the Free State and requires an investigation, the SA Democratic Teachers' Union (Sadtu) said on Wednesday.
“We call on the department of education to investigate acts of racism beyond the issue of Wilgehof Primary School, as these practices are still rife in most of the schools in the province,” Sadtu Free State said in a statement.
The SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) said on Tuesday it would investigate allegations of racism at the school, in Bloemfontein. It said there were complaints that some of the children at the school had been called kaffirs.
The old South African flag had reportedly been put up on a classroom wall, as had a picture of expelled ANC Youth League president Julius Malema alongside that of a monkey.
The SAHRC conducted an on-site inspection of the school after a white pupil's parent laid a complaint.
Sadtu said it had previously complained to the department about alleged racism at the school.
“We have on numerous occasions called for the full investigation of allegations of racism at this school, but the department has always opted for defensive tactics claiming that the concerns and complaints raised by our members are baseless and unfounded,” it said.
Sadtu said the alleged racism undermined the dignity of black people.
“The conduct at this school is not just undermining the principles of a democratic non-racial South Africa, but is a clear disregard of the dignity of the black people when they are associated with baboons,” it said. - Sapa