The Gauteng education MEC Matome Chiloane has announced that he will be launching an independent investigation into racism allegations at Pretoria High School for Girls.
Chiloane made the announcement on Sunday following the conclusion of disciplinary hearings against 12 white pupils who were cleared of racism.
The school governing body (SGB) communicated the outcome of the hearing on Friday to parents, teachers, and the school community. It found the pupils not guilty.
The department said it respected the decision of SGB following disciplinary hearings held on July 30 and 31.
The department said the pupils the SGB said there was insufficient evidence to support the allegations violence and bullying, disruptive behaviour, and violation of school rules against the pupils.
“The GDE [Gauteng Department of Education] respects this outcome as the SGB’s authority is enshrined in the South African Schools Act, 1996. Therefore, the GDE cannot interfere with the outcome since SGBs are empowered by law to initiate and facilitate disciplinary hearings against learners.
“As such, any transgression of a school’s code of conduct by a learner is the responsibility of the SGB, to enforce appropriate action accordingly,” the department said in statement.
The department said Chiloane has, however, decided to launch an independent investigation because there were allegations that racism exists at the school.
“This decision is further motivated by the fact that the report of the SGB’s ruling makes no mention of racism or discrimination against learners, whereas there has been a strong presumption of the existence of such at the school,” it said.
Quoting section 9(1) of the Gauteng Education Act 6 of 1995 as amended, the department said the MEC is empowered to conduct such an independent investigation if it was in the interest of education in the province.
The department said the terms of reference into the inquiry will be communicated once an independent investigative body has been appointed.
The principal of the school has been suspended by the department following the suspension of the pupils. One black pupil has also been suspended for racism allegations after a video recorded in February surfaced on social media.
