Twelve pupils suspended for offensive texts

"Apparently, they [black pupils]  still have leftover emotions from it [apartheid]."

This is one of the many text messages shared on WhatsApp at Pretoria School for Girls that have since resulted in the suspension of 12 pupils, pending a disciplinary hearing next week.

Pupils at the school said the messages were sent in the group in June 2023 and reported to the school at the time.

However, nothing was done, the pupils said, leading to a planned protest at the school last week.

A pupil who was part of the group at the time shared the messages with her schoolmates last week..

The group, according to Gauteng department of education, comprised white pupils and messages they shared contained racial connotations, micro-aggressions and complaints about their black peers.

One of the messages reads: "The world is more in their [blacks] favour now anyways...like apartheid isn't a thing anymore."

In response to this message, another pupil wrote: "Exactly like?????? Nah, this really pisses me off because how is most of everything in your favour but you continue to complain and bring constantly apartheid r the hair thing? What more do you want?"

A pupil at the school said the messages were sparked by a conversation between a white and black pupil about race.

"The conversations allegedly included racial commentary about the ongoing dissatisfaction among black learners regarding issues they faced at the school, alluding to these issues being insignificant.

"Similar commentary about a black hair protest by learners that reportedly took place at the school in 2016 was also made in the group chat," said departmental spokesperson Steve Mabona.

One of the girls in the group stated that she did not agree with the conversation that was had and is leaving the WhatsApp group as she did not want to associate herself with what was said.

Two other girls said they agreed with her, then exited the group too.

Mabona said the district office has launched an investigation, especially against school employees.

A pupil who has been at the school for five years said she had also experienced discrimination.

"White teachers would be on your neck for having brown hair but when it comes to white girls who would dye their hair pink, the teachers would let it slide," she said.

Another pupil said the only time she "experienced racism" was when she was told not to speak her home language in class.

"But when my peers spoke Afrikaans, it was fine. I didn't think much of it at the time when I was told not to speak my home language, I just switched to English," she said.

Parents expressed disappointment at the recent developments at the school.

"It has been 30 years since democracy and they are still holding on to racism. To be honest, a lot of information is kept from us by the school. Even now, we knew about the reasons for the suspensions through the media. We got an email saying there will be disciplinary steps taken against these kids but nobody knows the background.

"My child has complained about racism a lot of times and the department [of education] is not doing anything," she said.

"I have never thought about removing her from the school because this is the closest school [to our home]. We want the department to intervene. They [pupils] should enjoy certain rights as white kids. We bring our kids here for the best education."

On Tuesday, parents received an email, which Sowetan has seen, stating that the recent events have unfolded in a manner that has affected many. 

The school wrote: "We are never happy when the people of the PHSG [Pretoria High School for girls] community are hurting.

"We acknowledge that the recent events at the school may have taken toll on the mental wellbeing of all those involved and affected."