Gauteng’s Basic Education Department has urged public restraint ahead of the disciplinary hearings of 12 pupils at the Pretoria High School for Girls. The girls are being disciplined following racism allegations linked to a controversial Whites-Only WhatsApp group, allegedly filled with racial connotations and complaints about black learners.It’s D-day for 12 pupils from Pretoria High School for Girls. The School Governing Body will administer the hearings.
The South African Human Rights Commission has condemned the latest allegations of racism at the school and says it’s disappointing that previous interventions were unsuccessful. “Schools are a microcosm of society. And it goes back to the fact that we have not done enough as a country to go back to the roots of patriarchy and racism. So, we will continue to see these incidents happening. What we demand to see is action that is procedurally fair to the perpetrators. We also want to see changes. It’s not right that students have to protest every five years when they should just be learning,” says Tshepo Madlingozi from the SAHRC in Gauteng.
“Everyone will get support, victims and perpetrators. We are mindful of the fact that we are writing in the next coming days. The entire school will be writing,” Mabona added.