Teacher suspended for racist remarks in Ennerdale

The black high school teacher accused of uttering racist and derogatory remarks to a coloured parent will face the music.

This is the promise made by Gauteng MEC for education Panyaza Lesufi when he addressed a group of angry parents who were picketing outside Fred Norman Secondary School in Ennerdale, Johannesburg, on Tuesday morning.

The group stood outside the school’s main gate, saying the female teacher must be dismissed with immediate effect.

Their call for her dismissal comes after the teacher video recorded herself arguing with a parent who came to the school to ask why her granddaughter had not been allowed to attend the teacher’s class for the past two weeks.

The heated argument between the teacher and the parent occurred last Friday inside the classroom and in front of the pupils who were seen standing on desks. The video was widely shared on different social media platforms.

During the argument, the teacher can be heard saying, “I don’t like coloureds,” and it is these remarks that have landed her in hot water.

“I am hurt by the teacher’s utterances. That conduct is unacceptable. No-one must defend such behaviour,” Lesufi told the picketing group. “The teacher has been placed on precautionary suspension. The department has prioritised this matter and we will move with speed to resolve it.” 

While Lesufi was engaging with the group outside the school’s gate, classes continued undisrupted inside.

The picketing group used Lesufi’s visit as an opportunity to voice other problems faced by the school.

Raised issues included school bullying and substance abuse among scholar transport operators and pupils.

The group also raised allegations of racism, saying the suspended teacher is part of a clique that seeks to divide the community of Ennerdale along racial lines.

“This is not the first time this teacher and her colleagues have told our children that they don’t like coloureds. She is known for inciting racial intolerance. Luckily this time she was caught on camera boldly insulting our community. We are not racists but we demand a public apology from her, and for her to be fired from this school,” said Ennerdale resident John Delange.

Lesufi told the group that his department is prepared to work with the community to resolve all raised issues.

On allegations of racism, he said those claims would be investigated.

“There is no room for violence, bullying or racism in our schools. I am prepared to come back to this community to fully engage on all the issues you have raised. But on the matter that has brought me to this school today, I can assure you that the implicated teacher will face the music and it will not be nice music,” said Lesufi.

The group took Lesufi’s promise with a pinch of salt.

“I am not entirely happy because Lesufi did not give us a clear date when this teacher will be fully removed. For all we know she might be on paid suspension for months to come. We don’t want that. The teacher is a racist and she must be fired,” said Ennerdale resident Lerato Motsopa.   

nzimandeb@sowetan.co.za