A high school student from the Northern Cape has come under fire from Joy Maimela, the chairperson of parliament’s portfolio committee on basic education, for using the k-word in a TikTok video.
The student responsible for the racist and derogatory video is a student at Hoërskool Duineveld in the Northern Cape, according to a media statement released on Thursday by Rajaa Azzakani, the media officer of the basic education portfolio committee.
“The chairperson of the portfolio committee on basic education, Ms Joy Maimela, has condemned the ‘racist and derogatory’ video on TikTok by a learner of the Northern Cape that has gone viral,” said Azzakani.
Shocking and disappointing
“This learner was born in a free and democratic South Africa, so this is unexpected. It is shocking. It is disappointing.
“It is hurtful that he can spew such remarks. This needs the attention of authorities at the highest level. It cannot be tolerated.”
Azzakani continued: “It has since been confirmed that the learner is from Hoërskool Duineveld in the Northern Cape.
“In the video that has been seen by hundreds of thousands of people, the pupil and three others join a live TikTok chat with a man identified as content creator @UncleSeeno, calling him a k*****” and a n*****.”
SA’s painful history of racism
Maimela called for urgent action to be taken against the pupil.
“Considering the painful history of racism and discrimination in South Africa, our country has taken a zero-tolerance to such behaviour and utterances,” said Maimela.
“We need urgent action on the matter.
“The committee calls on parents, communities, organisations, and schools to increase programmes and engagements on life skills to stem such behaviour.
“Raising well-rounded children is the responsibility of all of us.”
A white grade 9 student from Hoërskool Ben Vorster in Tzaneen, Limpopo, made a racist slur in a TikTok video that went viral in November 2023.
Sonwabile, a well-known social media content creator, featured the student in a live broadcast.
In the live broadcast, the pupil can be heard referring to the host, who is wearing a red hat, as an “EFF k****r”. He then giggles before his screen goes blank.
