The Jan Viljoen Hoerskool. Picture: Facebook
Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi says the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) would step in and investigate the alleged racism at Hoërskool Jan Viljoen in Randfontein.
Lesufi visited the school on Monday following a violent incident that took place between learners at the school.
It's alleged that the violent fight broke out on Friday, February 11, between black and white pupils at the school, with some believing it was racially motivated.
Before Lesufi met with the parents, tensions ran high between parents, which led to police firing rubber bullets to disperse the crowd.
Soon after, Lesufi addressed parents, saying: “I thank you for rejecting racism in all its forms. We won't have our children treated as step-children in our country.”
He assured parents that his department had received all the evidence, and they handed it over to the police and the SAHRC.
“We have managed to take a full report from the principal, the SGB and the police. On the basis of those reports, we are quite convinced that there are some educators that must explain their role, and there are some learners that must explain their role in this school.
“All the messages that came from you as parents and all the evidence that was given to us by learners in this particular school has been handed over to the police and the South African Human Rights Commission. I want to assure you that this matter is receiving our immediate attention. There is no one who will hide it, postpone it or disguise it. We are dealing with racism,” said Lesufi.
He assured parents that those who are seen as perpetrators would be dealt with through a different process.
Parents gathered outside the school, where many expressed their frustration of how the school is run as well as the school’s alleged lack of response to parents’ complaints.
A concerned and angry parent, Nwabisa Mphathi, said there is a teacher who harasses female learners in the school, and no disciplinary action have been taken against him.
“There’s a teacher here who harasses female students in the school, and nothing has been done. I’ve reported for almost three years that he’s busy making sexually offensive comments and asked female learners to come visit him in his house. We’ve been complaining about the sexual harassment and the racism in this school, and that same governing body has done absolutely nothing.”
Another frustrated parent, Tshepo Tema, said there was no fight at the school on Friday. He claimed that another six black girls were bullied by a group of white boys.
“There was no fight over the weekend. I went to speak to the victims and the parents. The victims said they were headed to class when a group of white boys attacked them.
Tema also revealed that his son, who is in grade 12, was beaten by three boys at the school. He said his son was thrown out of the window, and he was not given medical attention.
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