Cape Town - The Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation has labelled the chaotic scenes outside Brackenfell High School as “a consequence of a failure of leadership”.
The EFF descended on Brackenfell last week to protest against alleged racism at Brackenfell High School, after reports of a whites-only matric masquerade ball last month.
The foundation has criticised the lack of leadership displayed.
“Over the past 10 days, since the first violent protest at Brackenfell High School in response to an allegedly whites-only matric function, no leaders have stepped forward to manage the crisis. To engage the parties. To acknowledge the systemic problems they embody.
“Neither the Education Department in the province nor the school have been moved to unequivocally condemn the divisive function. Neither appears to recognise the polarities in our society or feel any responsibility to fix them,” the foundation said.
“Brackenfell High School is a symbol of unresolved issues from South Africa’s past that the Truth and Reconciliation Commission sought to begin to address 20 years ago, but the state chose not to implement.
“These fundamental issues need peaceful and rational discourse, and action. Not division,” it said.
Meanwhile, eight EFF members who were arrested on Friday following a violent protest in Brackenfell have been released on warning and will return to court in February next year.
The group made their first court appearance on Monday in the Blue Downs Magistrate's Court, said National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Eric Ntabazalila.
He added: “They were charged with public violence and have been released on warning. They will return to court on February 12. The case has been postponed for further investigation.”
Outside court, the EFF rallied to show the accused support.
EFF regional secretary Banzi Dambuza said: “These fighters were just walking back to the buses, and they were actually being shot at. When they were arrested they had no weapons. They were not doing anything, they were simply arrested.”
The party’s provincial chairperson, Melikhaya Xego, said their aim was to assert the party stood against racism. “We will never finish our mission with Brackenfell until we get our beret that was taken, and also hand over the memorandum of demands to the school,” he said.
Cape Argus