Teacher suspended following racism allegations at Randburg school

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.