A recent investigation into Pretoria High School for Girls has revealed troubling incidents of alleged racial bias and misconduct. Conducted by Mdladlamba Attorneys, the probe was commissioned by the Gauteng Education Department to address accusations of racial discrimination within the historically Model C institution.
One of the investigation’s notable findings is that some white teachers reportedly do not greet their black colleagues, as they “do not know whether they are cleaners or educators at the school,” according to the investigation’s report. This claim was corroborated by the school’s principal, Phillipa Erasmus, who is currently under suspension. Erasmus explained that the issue is a primary source of frustration and highlights ongoing tensions at the school.
“According to the principal, this is the biggest frustration that she must deal at the school, including the ill-treatment of the administration staff by some educators,”
stated Mthuthuzeli Mdladlamba, the law firm’s director.
The principal reportedly acknowledged that administrative staff members at the school had been experiencing mistreatment from certain educators. However, the principal also noted a significant challenge: staff members have been hesitant to identify the educators involved, making it difficult to enforce disciplinary measures.
“The principal indicated that her challenge is that the administration staff do not want to name the educators that are ill-treating them and thus she cannot take the necessary disciplinary steps against them,”
the report elaborated.
Following these findings, the report recommended that the principal, the deputy principal responsible for disciplinary matters, and two educators face charges of misconduct. Furthermore, it advised that the estate manager and the human resources manager also be charged for misconduct.
“The GDE [Gauteng Education Department] is to consider removing the governing body chairman from the governing body for his allegations to interfere with the legislative powers and functions of the MEC,”
the report stated, indicating concerns about possible interference from the school’s governing body in operational matters.
The investigation was triggered by an incident in July, when Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane visited the school after a group of 12 white students, including eight prefects, were suspended on allegations of racial misconduct. According to sources, these students had engaged in discussions on a WhatsApp group that reportedly contained racially insensitive comments. The conversations allegedly downplayed the experiences of black students at the school, with some group members dismissing these issues as trivial.
One exchange referenced in the report included comments on a previous protest held in 2016, during which black students had advocated for the right to wear natural hairstyles. Despite the 2016 protest being a significant event that drew widespread attention to racial tensions in South African schools, the WhatsApp group reportedly included remarks that appeared to trivialize the importance of such student-led movements.
Following a recent internal disciplinary hearing, however, the accused students were cleared of wrongdoing. In response to this outcome, MEC Chiloane announced plans to launch an independent investigation aimed at assessing whether a broader culture of racism permeates Pretoria High School for Girls.
“Ja and then now they can speak in their own language, so I don’t understand… That makes me so annoyed,”
read one message reportedly shared within the group. In another post, a student stated,
“She was saying how they get treated so badly and apparently rules don’t apply to white girls, but I was like, try getting into a provincial A-team or get into medical campuses at university.”
