UPDATE: Teacher suspended following racism allegations at Randburg school

Update 3pm:

Representatives from the Gauteng Department of Education visited Northriding Secondary School on the morning of 7 May after the suspension of a teacher for alleged racism.

The incident, which was captured on video, took place in a Grade 8 Afrikaans class on 6 May during an altercation between a female teacher and a learner.

MEC for Education Panyaza Lesufi met with school management to discuss the matter.

Principal of Northriding Secondary School Francois Oosthuizen confirmed that the teacher was suspended on 6 May, and that disciplinary action against her was currently underway.

After discussions, the department’s spokesperson Steve Mabona addressed the contingent of media outside the school. “We received the information about the alleged racism via social media, and felt that we needed to visit the school to get a better understanding about what transpired,” said Mabona.

Mabona said he understood that learners in the class were misbehaving, which lead to the altercation. “After the initial altercation, the learner left the classroom to seek assistance from the neighbouring class, and the educator from the neighbouring class tried to intervene. Subsequently, we have been told that the Afrikaans teacher allegedly started to [assault] the learner and sprayed the learner involved in the initial altercation with hand sanitiser. The Afrikaans teacher then left the classroom and, at a later stage, allegedly engaged in a further quarrel with a separate class, in the next period,” he said.

According to Mabona, it was during the second incident that the teacher allegedly made racist remarks towards learners. “After that, school management rushed to the classroom, after hearing the noise of learners, to intervene and calm the situation down – which they did. Educators should be setting a good example to the learners they teach. The MEC is very disappointed in the incident, and our department stands for complete non-racialism. A racial incident of any kind will not be tolerated.”

The principal reiterated that the teacher in question had been suspended and that disciplinary action had been taken. “I instituted the suspension of my teacher yesterday afternoon and informed my superiors accordingly. With the help of the department, we will be providing counselling for the affected learners. We have met with concerned parents and have noted their concerns that will be addressed. Learning for the teacher’s affected classes will not be interrupted and education for the class will continue,” said Oosthuizen.

Mabona concluded that the department’s psychosocial unit has already visited the school and its affected learners and parents to provide counselling and support regarding the incident.

Initial article 9am:

Gauteng MEC of Education, Panyaza Lesufi, is expected to host a media briefing at Northriding Secondary School on 7 May regarding recent racism allegations.

Social media went into a frenzy on 6 May after a social media user accused a teacher from the school of racism.

The social media user alleged that a learner from the school said a teacher had called him the k-word – a derogatory term used during the apartheid era in South Africa to describe black people.

Lesufi responded to the social media post, saying that he would be visiting the school. 

The tweet has since gained traction and a series of videos has emerged. Other users also replied with their opinions and experiences on the matter. Here’s what they had to say…

It does not justify her using the K word ..as an educator you are trained to deal with such things and if you feel like you can't do anything else involve your superiors…

— Nqobile Xulu (@NqobileXulu11) May 7, 2021

https://twitter.com/SibsZulu/status/1390364384174788612?s=20

https://twitter.com/PaulMasalesa/status/1390343977656795140?s=20

A Randburg Sun journalist is at the school, awaiting the arrival of the MEC. Updates will follow as they become available.

The Randburg Sun has approached the school for comment. The school has stated that they are unable to provide such a comment at this stage. Randburg Sun will update this story with their comment should it be forthcoming at a later stage.

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