Students suspended over Cape Town school ‘slave auction’ [VIDEO]

Several Pinelands High School students have been suspended amid an outcry over an alleged racist incident.

According to eNCA, the students were suspended pending the outcome of an investigation into an alleged “auction” of black students at the school recently.

Students at Pinelands High School allegedly locked up fellow black pupils in a cage and pretended to auction them to the highest bidder.

ALSO READ: Cape Town school ‘slave auction’: Growing calls for ‘racist’ pupils to be suspended [VIDEO]

They were priced from R100 000 and became the “property” of other learners who had “bought” them. A video of the “slave auction” has been shared widely online but contains images of minors so has not been added to this article.

‘They were putting black boys in a cage’

An unidentified parent told News24 her son fought back when other students tried to allegedly “auction” him off.

“They were picking up black boys and putting them in the cage. It’s not like they went willingly,” she said.

Investigation launched

The Western Cape Education Department said it was disturbed by the incident and had conducted interviews with the students involved.

ALSO READ: 12 Gauteng high school girls suspended over alleged racist WhatsApp chat

Spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said counselling was being offered to learners at the school.

Sadtu calls for action

Sadtu secretary-general Mugwena Maluleke said the incident should be condemned.

“As a community, we need to stand together and build a united nation so we can prosper.

“I fully agree with parents in the community that the students be suspended. This is necessary to allow investigations to proceed,” he told eNCA.

WATCH: Sadtu’s response to the alleged racist incident at the school

Teacher union Sadtu is calling for the suspension of the pupils accused of racism at a school in Cape Town. #AllAngles #DStv403 #QuestionThinkAct pic.twitter.com/5qODHbNfjV

— eNCA (@eNCA) July 27, 2024

12 suspended at Joburg school over alleged racist chats

The incident came just days after 12 Pretoria High School for Girls students were suspended over alleged racist text messages.

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The white pupils allegedly created an ethnically exclusive WhatsApp group where they allegedly shared “racial micro-aggressions” about other pupils.

“The conversations allegedly included racial commentary about the ongoing dissatisfaction among black learners regarding issues they faced at the school, alluding to these issues being insignificant,” Gauteng Department of Education spokesperson Steve Mabona said.

Additional reporting by Jarryd Westerdale