Pretoria High School for Girls racism row — independent probe to be launched

Education MEC Matome Chiloane briefs the media at Pretoria High School For Girls school hall after an alleged racist incident on July 30, 2024 in Pretoria, South Africa. It is reported that the Principal has been temporarily suspended amid the controversy over racial notes made by pupils on a WhatsApp group. (Photo by Gallo Images/Beeld/Deaan Vivier)

By Nonkululeko Njilo

5 Aug 2024

This comes after 12 girls were cleared of wrongdoing last week when the school governing body found inconsistencies in testimonies against them and a lack of solid evidence from a ‘whites-only’ WhatsApp group.

This article has been updated. See Editor’s Note below, including an apology to Parent Group Pretoria High School for Girls.

Following a school governing body (SGB) disciplinary probe that cleared 12 girls of misconduct at the Pretoria High School for Girls, the Gauteng Department of Education is set to launch an independent investigation to determine whether a culture of racism exists.

The probe will not investigate the 12 pupils who were initially suspended for statements made in a “whites-only” WhatsApp group that had racial connotations and displayed microaggressions, but will investigate allegations of racism more broadly.

On Friday, due to insufficient evidence, the SGB found the implicated pupils not guilty on charges of violence and bullying, disruptive behaviour and violation of school rules.

Department spokesperson Steve Mabona said: “The report mentions a WhatsApp group, whose discussions and exchanges within were examined during the disciplinary hearing. These discussions were part of the evidence presented against the implicated learners.

“However, according to the SGB, the content from the WhatsApp group was found to be inconclusive and did not substantiate the charges of violence, bullying or disruptive behaviour. The SGB’s ruling further stated inconsistencies in the testimonies and lack of solid evidence from the WhatsApp group contributed to the decision of the SGB to find the learners not guilty.”

Independent investigation

On what informed the decision to launch the probe, Mabona said: “This decision is further motivated by the fact that 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.”

Read more: Pretoria racism – Department ‘disappointed’ as schoolgirls found not guilty

The probe is in line with Section 9(1) of the Gauteng Education Act 6 of 1995 which allows for MEC Matome Chiloane, as the executive authority, to appoint appropriate person(s) to conduct an inquiry on issues that are in the interest of education in the province.

“The terms of reference in relation to this inquiry, which will outline what the investigation seeks to uncover, will be communicated upon appointment of a relevant independent investigative body in due course,” Mabona said.

Gauteng education MEC Matome Chiloane briefs the media at the Pretoria High School for Girls after an alleged racist incident on 30 July 2024. (Photo: Gallo Images / Beeld / Deaan Vivier)

The school was historically attended by whites only, but began admitting black children after the end of apartheid in 1994. At least two other racial incidents have rocked the school. In 2016, it made international headlines when pupils staged a protest against a long-standing rule that saw them having to chemically straighten their hair because Afro hairstyles were considered untidy.

Several black pupils who spoke to Daily Maverick last week on condition of anonymity due to fear of victimisation said they had seen leaked messages from the “whites-only” group suggesting that they wanted “special treatment”, are allowed to get away with things, including “having Afros and dying hair” and that they should “get over apartheid” or South Africa would never move forward.

At the time of the 2016 incident, then education MEC Panyaza Lesufi said he wanted to arrest the situation before it got out of hand. Eight years later, the school finds itself in the same situation.

Amid the fresh racism allegations, the department has decided to place principal Phillipa Erasmus on a three-month precautionary suspension. She was accused of failing to act on the allegations when they were brought to her attention in 2023.

Mabona was not available to comment on what Erasmus’s fate would be after the 12 girls were cleared by the probe.

However, Chilonae’s spokesperson, Xolani Mkhwente, told Sowetan: “The principal’s suspension is a different labour relations issue and not [made] by the SGB, but by the HOD [head of department]. Her precautionary suspension will only be lifted by the HOD after the labour relations investigation,” Mkhwente said.

Read more: ‘Heartbreaking,’ says Pretoria Girls High parent in fresh racism scandal

Chiloane appealed for calm after some education activists voiced strong objections to the outcome of the disciplinary hearing, and for the school to be allowed to conduct its business before the crucial exams.

“The GDE remains dedicated to ensuring a safe and inclusive environment for all learners. In light of these developments, we call for all concerned stakeholders to allow the school to continue with learning and teaching in this critical time where examinations are being conducted,” Chiloane said. DM

EDITOR’S NOTE: Apology to Parent Group Pretoria High School for Girls

A group of parents representing a number of pupils at Pretoria High School for Girls lodged a complaint with the Press Council about this article.

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 Body’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.

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

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