Human Rights Commission hosts dialogue on racism at Western Cape schools

On Monday the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) commissioner, Tshepo Madlingozi called on parents to have open conversations about issues of difference and prejudice with their children. Madlingozi was speaking on the sidelines of a dialogue on racism in Western Cape schools that was hosted by the commission in Cape Town on Monday.

“Parents themselves need to heal, in order for them to assist in addressing racism. They must heal from their own inner demons. Parents must also create spaces within the home, to talk about different topics be it racism, xenophobia, homophobia, issues of class and poverty. At home, we should create these platforms. It doesn’t need to be everyday, maybe once a month. We need to talk about these things and how they affect us as a family; let’s talk about history at a family level,” said Madlingozi.

Madlingozi said parents should stop leaving the whole duty of disciplining their kids to schools. “Parents must take a keen interest in their kids’ lives. They must know what is happening to their kids’ school life. They must get involved in school. You can’t outsource the education of your child to other people. You must attend school meetings.

“When it comes to issues of racism, whether your child is a perpetrator or a victim. To avoid making the situation worse, we need to take that moment of crisis as an opportunity. And not seek revenge or demanding unreasonable punishment. We need to transform the thinking, behavior and attitude of both sets of children. Parents must also try to get together and understand from both sides the environment that child is coming from. These are some of the ways that parents can ensure, they don’t leave the education of the child to schools,” Madlingozi added.

Learners on racism

The SAHRC is still investigating an incident of reported racism at Table View High in July this year. Kamogelo Rufino (15), a learner from Table View High School, said he was glad that there are dialogues that bring the issue of racism to the table. “It’s great that the issue of racism has been realised as a serious problem. It’s time to prevent the problem, before it gets worse, so that we move on together as a country,” Rufino told Elitsha. She reported another learner’s use of the ‘n’ word as an instance of racism, in the hope “he may learn going forward that it’s wrong to use that word.”

‘Our parents need to
tell us that we are beautiful
the way we are’

Chairperson of the representative council of learners (RCL) at Table View High School, Michaylor Silwanyana also commended the SAHRC’s dialogue: “As a learner, on behalf of the learners, we feel heard. I’m happy a topic like this is being addressed and not just swept under the carpet. We hope solutions will emerge from here,” said Silwanyana. Like Madlingozi, she believes parents are part of the solution to racism, teaching their kids about hurtful labels, and giving them the confidence to stand up to racists – assuming of course, they are not the cause.

In November 2020, learners and parents at Brackenfell High allegedly organised a ‘whites only‘ matric farewell function. There was a big protest against the the school. Archive photo by Lilita Gcwabe

Parent and school governing body (SGB) member, Marunku Machesa said there is a need for more dialogues on racism. “I was not comfortable coming to this dialogue at first, because most times when we come here it is because of a reaction to something. The dialogue was quite fruitful, in the sense that we are now comfortable to openly talk about racism. It’s an opening stage for us. People who were supposed to be here, are here. I am hoping this is continuous. We must not have dialogues as a reaction to an incident,” said Lechesa.

“We need to be in a position where we are comfortable to talk about these things within our community. We are different generations: there is one that is not bothered to be called the ‘n’ word whereas we have a lived experience of being called this way. We must start talking about the issue of race in our homes,” she added.

Director Inclusive and Specialised Education Support, at the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) Ignatius du Preez said the issue of racism should be addressed through instilling discipline at schools first. “We must have an inclusive education system first. We also need strong leadership at schools, leaders who are sensitive to societal issues and who take them seriously. Popular culture is also a serious problem and an influence in our schools. Discipline procedures are very helpful and they need to be employed. We are going to take into consideration all the inputs that were made here,” said Du Preez.