Pupils allegedly made racist comments in a WhatsApp group about the ongoing dissatisfaction among black pupils regarding issues they faced at the school.
The Gauteng Member of the Executive Council for Education, Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation Matome Chiloane will release the independent investigative report concerning Pretoria High School for Girls on Monday.
Earlier this year, in July, claims of racism in a WhatsApp group saw 12 pupils, including prefects, being suspended.
The suspension against the pupils was lifted, and the pupils were reinstated.
The pupils allegedly made racist comments in a WhatsApp group about the ongoing dissatisfaction among black pupils regarding issues they faced at the school, alluding to these issues as being insignificant.
Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) Spokesperson Steve Mabona said the investigation sought to ascertain concerns from various stakeholders about a potential culture of racism within the institution.
Thabo Mbeki Foundation on racism linked to Pretoria High School for Girls
GDE has been criticised for its management of the recent racism allegations at Pretoria High School for Girls.
The events prompted former president Thabo Mbeki’s foundation to engage with the school, meeting with both the school governing body (SGB) and officials from the provincial department.
In a letter addressed to Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi and Chiloane, the foundation pointed out that the decisions to suspend and charge the 12 white pupils and the principal were made before any investigation was conducted to determine whether there was at least prima facie evidence supporting the allegations.
“It, therefore, seems clear that the GDE officials accepted the allegations made by the learners as representing the truth,” the letter reads.
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