Parental and political outcry has been widespread since the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) opened an investigation into two startling instances of racism at Cape Town schools.
In the first incident, colored students at Pinelands High School were seen “auctioning off” their black classmates in a pretend sale that was recorded on camera.
In the second incident, a white substitute teacher at Table View High School was accused of using a racist slur during a history lesson.
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Zena Nair, the Western Cape provincial manager of the SAHRC, attested to the fact that both events are under investigation. Political leaders are urging swift action and a zero-tolerance stance against racism in the interim.
In a letter to SAHRC commissioner Chris Nissen, Masizole Mnqasela of the Alliance for Citizens of Change emphasized the significance of promoting social cohesion and holding offenders accountable.
Citing a long history of rac!al injustice, Khalid Sayed, the ANC’s leader of the opposition in the Western Cape legislature, called for a more comprehensive probe into racism in Cape schools.
These occurrences have spurred a contentious discussion about rac!sm in South African schools and the urgency of acting quickly to address this pressing problem.
