Solidarity welcomes DA inquiry into Elana Barkhuizen saga

Solidarity today welcomed the DA’s inquiry into the party’s youth leader Luyolo Mphithi’s handling of the Schweizer-Reneke incident.

This comes after the DA’s Federal Council passed a resolution this weekend to the effect that the party’s handling of the Schweizer-Reneke debacle during which a teacher Elana Barkhuizen was suspended due to an alleged racist incident, and the racial tensions that arose from it be investigated.

Luyolo Mphiti widely denounced the so-called racist incident. However, the Labour Court ruled that no racism took place and that Elana Barkhuizen’s suspension was unlawful. On 15 January 2019 Solidarity addressed a letter to the DA requesting that Luyolo Mphithi’s handling of the matter be investigated and that sanctions be instituted against him.

According to Anton van der Bijl, head of Solidarity’s legal services, Solidarity is pleased that the DA has finally taken the right decision. “We are dealing with a highly polarised society where people are incited by populist rhetoric without the inciters familiarising themselves with the facts. Luyolo Mphithi had a major share in the racial tension that ensued after the Schweizer-Reneke debacle, and he will have to answer for that.”

Van der Bijl is also of the opinion that it should serve as a lesson to individuals who want to use the recent Southdowns College incident to score cheap political points. “We are acting on behalf of our member Anita Malan, and as in the case of Elana Barkhuizen we will point out that the context of a situation must be taken into account before decrying it as racism,” Van der Bijl concluded.

Statement issued by Anton van der Bijl, Head: Solidarity Legal Services, 22 October 2019