DJCOD Condemns Racism in Schools

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Free State Department of Education calls on communities to guard schools over the festive season

DJCOD Condemns Racism in Schools, Promotes Constitutional Rights Awareness

The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development (DJCOD) has strongly condemned the recent alleged acts of racism at South African schools. The department has pledged to intensify efforts to raise awareness about constitutional rights, including the prohibition of hate crimes and hate speech, and to prevent and combat these offences.

A racism scandal erupted at Pretoria High School for Girls after the discovery of a WhatsApp group in which white pupils allegedly exchanged messages with racial undertones. This incident was followed by another at Table View High School, where a substitute teacher reportedly used the ‘k’ word during a history lesson. Additionally, Pinelands High School in the Western Cape faced an incident involving a ‘slave auction’ of black learners by their coloured classmates.

“The [department] unequivocally condemns any acts of racism and racial discrimination and will intensify its efforts, in collaboration with the South African Human Rights Commission, the Commission for Gender Equality, and the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious, and Linguistic Communities, to promote awareness of constitutional rights, including the prohibition against hate crimes and hate speech, aimed at the prevention and combating of these offences. The [department] is engaging the Department of Basic Education and will be monitoring how these matters will be handled and eagerly awaits the outcome thereof,” the DJCOD stated.

The department emphasised that racist language and behaviour have no place in South African society. “Our courts, especially our designated Equality Courts, have pronounced on the use of the derogatory k-word – there is no place for such in a constitutional democracy which seeks to foster unity in diversity. Indeed, there is no place for racism or any other form of related intolerance in our constitutional democracy, which is anchored on the supremacy of the Constitution. Such incidents perpetuate harmful racial discrimination and are stark and painful reminders of our Apartheid past.

“This year, South Africa marks 30 years of freedom and democracy since the country’s democratic elections in 1994. The advent of our constitutional democracy 30 years ago ended decades of oppression under white minority rule, based on the racist ideology of black inferiority and white superiority, and ushered in a transition to a society ‘based on democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights’,” the department added.

The DJCOD highlighted that hate speech and hate crimes have been declared offences following the enactment of the Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Act 16 of 2023. This law reinforces the constitutional imperatives on unfair discrimination and the obligations of the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act, 2000.

“South Africa’s National Action Plan to Combat Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance [NAP] was approved by Cabinet in 2019. The NAP gives effect to South Africa’s constitutional and international obligations, thus signifying the government’s commitment to achieving the objectives of the NAP at the highest level.

“The [department], as the focal agency tasked by Cabinet to lead and coordinate the implementation of the NAP, in line with its constitutional mandate, unequivocally condemns all and any acts of discrimination, in whatever form they occur. It is of great concern that learners, almost all of whom were born in a country that is democratic and more inclusive, have to both experience racism and some still continue to hold such beliefs of racism, intolerance, hurtful and demeaning behaviour,” the DJCOD said.

Lephola Secondary School
Lephola Secondary School

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