LISTEN: Prestige primary school under attack over viral voice note allegedly saying ‘blacks not welcome’
Laerskool Middelburg has responded to a viral voice clip in which a member of the school's personnel allegedly tells a black parent that black children aren't welcome at the school.
Principal Gerrie van der Merwe told the Middelburg Observer that they are investigating the circumstances behind the viral audio recording, in which a staff member allegedly tells a parent that the school prefers not to enrol black children.
Van der Merwe strongly denies this.
The audio, which was posted yesterday morning on X (formerly Twitter) by user @BlvckScvleOle, details a mother presumably entering the front office of the school and asking if enrolment is open for next year.
The staff member repeatedly asked the parent who told her that applications for 2026 are open with the woman recording the conversation replying ‘a lady outside told me’.
The presumed mother is then allegedly told by the staff member that the open applications is for Afrikaans learners, and that English submissions are not yet open.
After stating that entries at other primary schools are open, the parent opined, “Maybe my child is not accepted here? Black children are not accepted here.”
On the recording the staff member then allegedly says ‘It is like that’.
The audio heard in the clip has been shared widely across social media with an image of a 2026 Laerskool Middelburg enrolment form attached.
• The Observer has reached out to the original poster, @BlvckScvleOle, for comment. No reply has been received.
• Principal Gerrie van der Merwe told the paper that the school is investigating the incident and will release an official statement promptly.
• The school’s governing body has also been made aware of the viral clip.
• Since the release of the clip the school has faced intense backlash on social media platforms, resulting in temporary suspension of activities.
— Montanaville (@BlvckScvleOle) March 19, 2025
