Chester Makana

Chester Makana

Pupils at a Limpopo school have their dreadlocks in a knot over alleged threats that they will be expelled if they did not cut their hair.

The pupils at the Frank Ravele Secondary School in Divhani, near Louis Trichardt, say teachers have threatened them over their dreadlocks.

The pupils have responded by threatening to seek an interdict against their teachers if they continued to verbally abuse them for wearing dreadlocks.

Matric pupil Lucky Nematshavhawe, said: "Teachers refer to us as 'zombies' and say we do not deserve to be at school."

The pupils have accused their teachers of not understanding the purpose of dreadlocks and the Rastafarian religion.

"It is about culture. Everyone has a right to choose the religion they want," Nematshavhawe said.

Another pupil, who asked to remain anonymous, supported Nematshavhawe's sentiments, but said he wore dreadlocks because he liked the style.

However, school principal, Nndwakhulu Ramantswana, has refuted the allegations, saying the school was not against dreadlocks.

But, he said, he was opposed to boys wearing earrings.

Ndo Mangala, spokesman for the provincial Education Department, said there were no policy guidelines regarding pupils' hairstyles.