"Parents bar teachers from school", Sowetan January 14 2019, refers.

I would like to express my sadness after learning that the coloured community in Eldorado Park, south of Johannesburg, had barred seven black teachers from the school.

The coloured community believes its children cannot be taught by black teachers. This is racism.

SA still has a long way to go to realise Nelson Mandela's dream of a "rainbow nation". This community is taking SA backwards.

I support the view from South African Democratic Teachers' Union (Sadtu) that the seven teachers must be reintegrated into the school. I would encourage Sadtu to lead the campaign against racism in Eldorado Park.

Representing teachers in this way as well as representing black pupils who are also barred from some of the former Model C schools merely because of the colour of their skin is a good thing.

Racism cannot be tolerated. All teachers, communities and pupils in Johannesburg need to be lobbied to support this campaign and be brave enough to confront racism.

Racism, like apartheid, is a crime against humanity. Any racial prejudice needs to be punished.

I do not think our pupils are interested in judging their teachers according to their race.

We need to educate them that SA is a deracialised environment and they can attend any school of their choice.

The Gauteng department of education (GDE), as an employer of these teachers, must intervene.

Together with the South African Council for Educators and the South African Human Rights Commission, the GDE needs to engage with the communities on the dangers of
racism.

It will be better that those seven teachers be reintegrated in the school where they are workers and the GDE embraces its responsibility in this regard by ensuring the safety and security of these teachers.

Tlou Russell Choshi,
Secretary: Sadtu, Johannesburg branch