South Africa is a country with a long and painful history regarding race. From apartheid to the current inequalities faced by different racial minorities. Recently a school in Cape Town, Pinelands High School has been found in a disturbing case.
A video was leaked showing students who were around 14 years old, mainly colored (the South African term for mixed people) students were running a mock slave auction, in which black children were bid on. In the video, you can see the black students cramped into a cage while the students outside yelled out bids that reached over $5,000. You can even hear one student say “Going once… going twice… sold!” This case of racism and discrimination has caught the attention of many from the South African Human Rights Commission to people all over the country demanding action be taken against the students according to an article by the BBC.
Pinelands High School has confirmed that currently four students who were involved in the video have been suspended according to South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC). However, some such as the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), a political party in South Africa feel as though a suspension is not enough, and that the students should be required to do community service in predominantly black neighborhoods. Nevertheless, an investigation is still occurring with the Western Cape Department of Education gathering 24 students to be interviewed and learn more about the tragic incident.
The case has been widely covered due to South Africa’s historical context. Although apartheid ended in 1990, there are still remnants that can be felt in the culture and social behaviors of the nation, especially in Cape Town. During apartheid, Cape Town was divided along racial lines by the government via laws such as the Group Areas Act. This act allowed the government to choose where each racial group could live and own property.
Once an area was determined to belong to one group, only members from that group could live there according to a report by South African History. Areas that were more aesthetically pleasing such as coastal areas like Sea Point and commercial areas like the Central Business District were declared white-only areas while areas further from the city were for non-white communities.
Compared to other South African cities, Cape Town has a larger colored population and a smaller black African population. According to the 2022 census, Cape Town had a 45.7% black African population and a 35% colored population. In comparison to Johannesburg where 80% of the population are black African and only 5% are coloured. This disparity is because the Apartheid government had designated the Western Cape as a “Coloured Labour Preference Area” which reduced the percentage of black Africans who would move to Cape Town according to a study by Ivan Turok an urban and regional economist.
There have been concerns therefore from parents, local leaders, and human rights organizations such as the African Human Rights Coalition, that incidents like this are still occurring even though South Africa has had three decades of democracy, suggesting that there are still deep-rooted issues of racism that have not been addressed successfully.
There have been calls from individuals such as MP Makhi Feni, who chairs the parliamentary committee on education for schools to have classes or programs to discuss and teach social cohesion and South Africa’s political history, to minimize the likelihood of incidents such as this one in the future that should not be occurring in children as young as 14.
As investigations continue and disciplinary actions are taken, it is crucial for schools not only in Cape Town but globally to ensure that they are creating an environment where students feel valued, included, and respected.
Written by Dorine Benedict
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