Pretoria – The Democratic Alliance on Saturday lauded Gauteng education MEC Panyaza Lesufi and the Pretoria Girls High School governing body for the manner in which they had dealt with racism at the school.
The DA welcomed the release of the Gauteng education department’s report into the incidents of racism experienced by black pupils at Pretoria Girls High School, DA spokesman Khume Ramulifho said.
“Gauteng education MEC Panyaza Lesufi must be congratulated for his even handed handling of this issue. The school governing body of Pretoria Girls High School must also be congratulated for agreeing to abide by the recommendations as set out by the report.
“Racism has no place in society, especially not in places of learning. It is important that all of us work together to help build a truly united, non-racial South Africa,” Ramulifho said.
On Friday nuight, the school apologised for the racial abuse and victimisation of black pupils, after the release of a report by a law firm into the alleged extensive racism validated the pupils’ allegations.
“To the learners that have been treated unfairly, in a manner unbecoming of our school, and society in general which has been harmed by the events that have taken place, we offer our sincere apology – unconditionally so. We will ensure that intolerance and racism, where found to still exist, are eradicated,” said James Tubb, a member of the school governing body.
“It is our intention to have a fully non-racial school environment. Anything to the contrary is simply not true. It has never been our intention to tolerate racism in any way. We firmly believe that Pretoria High School for Girls is a school where learners have equal opportunities in a variety of fields.”
Following protests and widespread allegations of racism and victimisation of the pupils in August, Lesufi appointed a law firm to investigate the matter. On Friday, Lesufi announced that the probe had confirmed the incidents of the racial abuse and victimisation.
“The incidents of black learners being told to stand up in groups to demonstrate ethnic/settlement origins during apartheid while white learners were never asked to do the same,” Lesufi read out from the findings of the investigation during a media briefing in the school premises.
“This was insensitive, immature, demeaning, and denigrating to the black learners to say the least. The practice of referring black learners to a specific black educator to sort out their hair should cease and that the school should adopt a more dignified and less embarrassing form of enforcing discipline in relation to hair. The school should implement a warning system when it comes to hair.
“It is recommended that the school should implement diversity training as well as a cultural awareness programme. This should be directed at both educators and learners to ensure there is proper understanding in relation to matters of race, gender, culture, religion among the learners, and between learners and educators. The SGB should also be included in these interventions.”
African News Agency