The principal at Pretoria High School for Girls, Phillipa Erasmus, has been placed on precautionary suspension for three months following allegations of racism which saw 12 learners suspended.
The principal’s suspension was announced by Gauteng Education MEC Matome Chiloane on Tuesday when he went to visit the school and subsequently held a media briefing at the premises.
Chiloane said during the suspension, Erasmus has been barred from communicating with learners, parents and educators.
“We have appointed the deputy principal to come and act in the interim,” he said.
Regarding the 12 learners who were suspended, Chiloane said they learned that eight of them were prefects and have since been stripped of the titles.
Moreover, he said there was new evidence regarding complaints of racism raised in 2023 by some of the learners.
“One of the whistle blowers came forward and what makes me sad is that she was victimised. We were able to get her evidence,” he said.
Meanwhile, the school's governing body is set to hold a disciplinary hearing following complaints which have been raised by black learners.
The disciplinary hearing follows reports from black learners who reported that the white girls who have been suspended, had set up a WhatsApp group chat to discuss them.
The learners further claim that the principal and school's management team did not take action following their complaints, and that white learners received preferential treatment from teachers.
The black learners also bemoaned the alleged selective application of the school code of conduct, with harsher treatment for black learners compared to white learners.
In addition, Chiloane urged the SGB to move quickly with the disciplinary hearing as the matter needs to be concluded urgently.
“We know they are parents they are working, but they need to take time because they availed themselves to be elected...If they are struggling, they need to let us know that they are struggling, we will give them support if they need additional support.
“We will be keeping a close eye on them, we will be pushing them everyday to get an update so that they conclude this thing quickly so that the school can go back to normal,” he said.
sinenhlanhla.masilela@iol.co.za
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