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WENDY MOTHATA|
THE South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) said on Monday it has found evidence to back the claims of racism at the Brackenfell High School after a private party was attended by whites only in 2020.
“While the Commission found, through its investigation, that some of the School’s officials knew about the event, as details of the event were shared by parents/guardians and learners of the School on WhatsApp, Facebook and by word of mouth; and four teachers had been invited in their private capacity, the evidence before the Commission exonerates the school from the planning, funding, advertising or hosting the event,” said the commission.
The human rights commission also found that the school did not host a “whites only matric ball”.
“The Commission found that the School did not host a “whites only matric ball” and therefore did not discriminate, whether directly or indirectly, fairly or unfairly, against Grade 12 learners on the ground of race,” said the commission in a media statement.
The commission further found that the organisers of the event also did not directly or indirectly discriminate against learners on the ground of race.
The SAHRC added that those who are dissatisfied by the conclusions of the Commission’s findings in the Brackenfell High School case are entitled to take the matter to court for review.
In November 2020, throngs of enraged EFF protesters descended on Brackenfell High School in protest against alleged racism at the school.
This after information about a ‘whites-only’ matric farewell leaked online and went viral, igniting a spate of violent clashes between residents and protesters in the area.
According to the City of Cape Town, the EFF submitted an application to protest in the Brackenfell area in November 2020 and thereby accepted the responsibility to comply with national legislation and ensure a peaceful protest was carried out.
Several videos surfaced on social media when the violence broke out between the EFF members and parents outside the school premises.
President Cyril Ramaphosa described the confrontation outside the school as deeply regrettable.
“At this most important and difficult time for matriculants not only at Brackenfell High School but around the country, the spectacle of parents and protestors coming to blows at the school gate is deeply unfortunate,” said Ramaphosa at the time.
– Inside Education