The School Governing Body (SGB) of Pretoria High School for Girls (PHSG) has initiated legal proceedings against the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) and the MEC for Education, Matome Chiloane.
This action follows a series of events that began with the suspension of 12 PHSG learners, including eight prefects, on July 24, over allegations of racism.
The controversy arose from accusations regarding a WhatsApp group where the learners allegedly shared messages with racial undertones and microaggressions.
The GDE claimed the messages dismissed the grievances of black learners regarding challenges they faced at the school.
On July 30, MEC Chiloane visited the school and subsequently placed Principal Phillipa Erasmus on a three-month precautionary suspension, citing her failure to act on reports in 2023 about a purported “whites-only” WhatsApp group.
The department also suspended the 12 learners on several charges, revoking the prefect status of some, and transferred Deputy Principal Doret Schoombie to the district office.
An internal investigation by the SGB, however, cleared the learners of any wrongdoing. This outcome disappointed the GDE, prompting MEC Chiloane to commission an independent investigation into the broader culture of racism at the school.
The findings, released on November 4, included allegations that some white teachers did not greet their black colleagues, reportedly due to uncertainty about their roles.
The SGB dismissed this claim as unsubstantiated and criticised the report’s reliability.
Principal Erasmus allegedly confirmed these claims and highlighted the mistreatment of administrative staff by certain teachers.
The report recommended misconduct charges against Erasmus, Schoombie, and several staff members. It also suggested the removal of the SGB chairperson, citing interference in the MEC’s authority.
The SGB has challenged the investigation, describing it as irregular and irrational. They are demanding the release of the full report and seeking an interdict to prevent further actions based on it.
In a statement, the SGB denounced racism as abhorrent but emphasised the need for caution before accusing individuals of such misconduct, especially in educational settings.
The SGB accused the GDE of pressuring the school to charge learners with racism just before their matric exams based on their involvement in the private WhatsApp group.
They highlighted a review by the Thabo Mbeki Foundation, which found no evidence of racism or hate speech in the group’s messages.
The SGB further claimed the GDE’s actions amounted to a baseless “witch hunt” for additional instances of racism.
According to the SGB, the investigators exceeded their mandate by exploring unrelated criticisms, despite finding no concrete evidence of racism.
They argued the investigation should have concluded once it failed to substantiate the allegations.
The SGB described the situation as adversarial, stating that the school has been subjected to unwarranted public scrutiny based on unsubstantiated findings.
They insisted that the GDE’s actions undermined the school and its community, prompting the legal challenge to rectify these issues.
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