Clarendon Girls High's talk of transformation hasn’t worked yet

Babalwa Ngcongolo’s letter “Listen Before Acting” (DD, Jul 15) is an interesting take on the ongoing racism allegations regarding Clarendon Girls High School.

Ngcongolo uses that phrase that is supposed to explain everything, transformation. The word of the politician which is used to justify failure.

Eskom and SAA have been transformed if we believe the politicians, even the SABC.

But they are all technically bankrupt. Therefore what does transformation mean if there is nothing of value left at the end?

These racism allegations predate Ngcongolo’s tenure as the pupils’ figurehead of the school and I would ask the question, what did she do to highlight the apparent systemic racism in both the staff body and among the pupils in 2014?

As we are now in 2020 and by all accounts nothing has changed, it must be accepted that Ngcongolo was part of the problem.

A good leader will confront issues that need to be addressed. In our country is any issue more pressing to confront than racism? It is clear that her idea of transformation in her letter has not even started. This just confirms her complicity.

Again the word transformation appears as the Eastern Cape education department has a transformation officer, yet months on from these allegations surfacing she has done nothing of value except talk.

Reports I have read in the Daily Dispatch indicate the head teacher at Clarendon is not prepared to be a leader either and say anything.

When Selborne CoIlege used the Hector Peterson picture in an inappropriate manner I remember the school being quoted in the Daily Dispatch initially trying to justify the unjustifiable. This issue is not that different.

So the time for talking really is over, and Andrew Macdonald, in his letter, “No, Clarendon, Time to Act” (DD, Jul 10), was right: it is time for action. Ngcongolo had a whole year to talk and influence and she must have failed because the problem still exists today.

You cannot allow the architect of the problem to fix it in a matter such as this and I’m afraid Macdonald’s letter calling for both the transformation officer and principal of Clarendon to step aside is the only solution.

As the saying goes, talk is cheap. All this talk over many years has achieved nothing.

— Siphiwo Bhengani, via e-mail