Cape Town – The EFF has called on the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) to probe the recruitment processes at Hoërskool Strand, after the school published a photograph of 16 newly-hired white staff members on Facebook last week.
The party said it was “disgusted” by the actions of the school, saying it was a display of institutionalised racism, where the majority of its personnel are white, and black people were systematically excluded.
EFF provincial spokesperson, Wandile Kasibe said: “EFF Western Cape has it on good authority that almost more than 95% of the school personnel are constituted by whites and the rest are people of colour and black Africans.
“This sad state of affairs at Strand High School and many other similar schools sends out a wrong message that seeks to suggest that only white people are worthy of either studying or being employed by this school.
“(It also suggests) that the school sees no need to bring in people from other cultural backgrounds to form part of the school. EFF Western Cape calls on the Western Cape Minister of Education, David Maynier, WCED, the school governing body, and other relevant structures to investigate the recruitment processes of the school with immediate effect.”
WCED spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said the WCED was engaging with the school to determine the facts.
“The WCED notes the allegations by the EFF and requests that they engage with the department on their concerns. The WCED is engaging with the school to determine the facts,” Hammond said.
The AfriForum Strand Patrol has called on the community to remain calm on social media and called for a meeting with the party.
“It is crucial that we handle this with absolute calm and in the measures of the law. We do invite them to come and imprint their red jackets here, but we do it to make sure they see that Strand High is not a racist school.
“Rest assured that our co-operative armed response companies are ready and that SAPS is already informed on this matter. We don’t sit back and accept a direct attack on our schools, language and culture. We don't sit behind the scenes and watch. We rise in the face of adversity and threats,” the group said.
Cape Times