Pretoria school pupils note report, vow to end racism

PRETORIA: Pupils at the Pretoria High School for Girls yesterday vowed to take authorities to task if recommendations contained in the report on racism were not implemented.

The pupils told the Pretoria News, sister newspaper of the Cape Times, they were prepared to move on for now, but would adopt a wait-andsee approach.

“I endured five long years of discrimination at that school and hope that the report will provide justice for the next generation,” a matric pupil said.

Another pupil praised Lesufi for taking a firm stance against racism at the school and said she hoped things would get better.

In the report, which was released on Friday night by Lesufi, it was found teachers at the school enforced racist policies without sensitivity.

It had been commissioned by Lesufi in August after allegations of racism at the school surfaced, with pupils alleging rules were in place to discourage hairstyles such as afros, bantu knots, dreadlocks and braids.

The report found the school guilty of racial practices and confirmed allegations made by the pupils were true.

The report also found that black pupils were singled out in class to demonstrate ethnic origins during apartheid while their white classmates were not asked to do the same. In one incident, black pupils were called monkeys.

The report recommended disciplinary action against teachers where there was evidence of wrongdoing. In addition, it said the practice of asking black pupils to “sort out their hair” must cease with immediate effect.

The school apologised for the racial abuse and victimisation of black pupils shortly after the release of the report, which has since been sent to Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga.

Parents have pulled no punches in voicing their opinions shortly after the report was made public, with some saying the girls’ accounts affirmed yet again that failure to address structural racism and sexism perpetuated white supremacy.