Apology to Parent Group, Pretoria High School for Girls

On 5 August 2024, Daily Maverick published an article with the headline Pretoria High School for Girls racism row – independent probe to be launched. A Parent Group of Pretoria High School for Girls lodged a complaint with the Press Council.

The Parent Group complained that the article misrepresented the charges against the 12 white pupils who were suspended as well as the reasons for their acquittal by the School Governing Board’s disciplinary inquiry. They submitted that the pupils were charged with expressing “inappropriate opinions” under the school’s learner Code of Conduct and Social Media Policy, which refers to “racism, sexism, sexual harassment, or public use of hate speech, or expression of opinions to cause spread of hate” and also to “any content that amounts to hate speech or discrimination… [and] include[s] comments that are threatening, harassing, illegal, obscene, defamatory, slanderous or hostile towards any individual or entity…”

Deputy Press Ombud Tyrone August upheld this complaint. 

The Parent Group also complained that the article misrepresented the reason for the Gauteng Department of Education’s new enquiry into racism at the school. They stated that the reason given by the Department’s spokesperson – “the report of the SGB’s ruling makes no mention of racism or discrimination against learners, whereas there has been a strong presumption of the existence of such at the school” – was false.

August upheld this complaint. He found that Daily Maverick chose to continue to rely solely on the account of the GDE and its spokesperson, Steve Mabona, even when additional information subsequently became available.

Daily Maverick apologises to the Parent Group for the errors.  

The Deputy Press Ombud dismissed other aspects of the complaint.

The original article has also been updated to include this apology.

Visit www.presscouncil.org.za for the full finding. DM