THE ANCWL STATEMENT ON THE INCIDENTS OF RACIAL RANCOUR IN SOME SCHOOLS IN GAUTENG PROVINCE 

29 July 2017

The African National Congress Women's League (ANCWL) welcomes the progressive and swift decision by the MEC of Education in Gauteng, Cde Panyaza Lesufi in dealing with the incidence of racial rancour at St John's college and Klipspruit Secondary School respectively. 

At St John's college a racist educator who was found guilty of contravening the South African Council of Educator’s Code of Conduct and making racist and derogatory statements was given a final written warning by the school and the MEC instructed the school to institute a harsher sentence. It is good riddance that the racist educator resigned with immediate effect.

At Klipspruit West Secondary School, learning and teaching were disrupted as parents allegedly demanded a coloured principal instead of having a black principal. The MEC had a meeting with stakeholders, dissolved the school governing body for poor leadership and condemned the disruption of schooling, stressing that educators who refuse to teach must be charged. He promised to take all concerns raised by stakeholders and revert back to the community. 

The ANCWL understands schools as centres of learning with a task to develop active citizens, helping children develop their own capacity for personal achievement and contributing to society as an active citizens for democracy. The Republic of South Africa is founded on the values of human dignity, the achievement of equality and the advancement of human rights and freedom. Section 28 (1) (d) of the Constitution requires that " Every child has the right to be protected from maltreatment, neglect, abuse or degradation". The ANC led government working with the society must ensure that no fanatic of discrimination, oppression and abuse should be allowed to be within the school yards at any given time. 

The ANCWL encourages all its supporters and members having learners in schools to actively participate in the school governing bodies and advance progressive teaching and learning. Through the ANCWL Molo Makhelwane program supporters and members of the ANCWL must discuss amongst others challenges in schools and submit suggestions to relevant structures on how to resolve those challenges. The led ANC government through the Department of Education must work with other like minded institutions and intensify capacity building programs on aspects of multiculturalism, anti-racism and gender equality. All education stakeholders which includes educators, school governing bodies, learners and including district officials must be trained on these aspects. 

Any form of discrimination must be eliminated in the country. South Africans must enjoy their rights, privilages and benefits of citizenship; and are equally subjected to the duties and responsibilities of citizenship.

Statement issued by Meokgo Matuba, ANCWL Secretary General, 29 July 2017