Mom, school in hair battle
Pupil told to shed her dreadlocks
A Soweto mother is furious after her 13-year-old daughter’s school told her to cut off her dreadlocks or relax her hair.
Ntsoaki Lengau, 35, said Tetelo Secondary School in Protea North was being unfair to her child.
“Her hair is neat and always tied up. I don’t understand why it is an issue as this is her second year in that school.”
The school made the demand on Monday.
The 13-year-old said at times she feels like she was being treated differently.
“I don’t see anything wrong with my hairstyle because it is neat and tidy. It hurts me to be singled out for my hair.”
Lengau said when she enrolled her daughter last year the school did not complain.
“I informed the school that tradition did not allow me to cut my daughter’s hair. I did it once when she was two years old and she got sick, and her father’s family told me that it was against their tradition to cut hair,” the angry mom said.
“There is no reason for her to be discriminated against for her hair.”
Sowetan visited the school yesterday.
The principal, who refused to give his name, said the matter was an internal issue between the school and the parent.
He then called the police who arrived at the school as the Sowetan team was leaving.
Gauteng education spokesman Steve Mabona said the department was concerned about allegations of learners being chased away from schools due to natural hair styles.
“We condemn any acts of schools forcing learners to relax or straighten their hair via chemical treatment. The department will investigate the matter,” Mabona said.
Meanwhile, poet and social commentator Ntsiki Mazwai expressed shock over the incident on social media.
@Ntsikimazwai tweeted: “What are we gonna do about the fact that this its actually a black school? That’s deeper than it being whites policing hair.(SIC)”
@RIPHYL wrote: “Even black schools (public) have adapted the ugly tendency, so sad.”