NATIONAL NEWS - KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Education, Kwazi Mshengu, announced that a commission of enquiry into racism at schools will be set up in the province after a panel tasked to investigate allegations of racism, nepotism and financial irregularities, at Grosvenor Girls High School, made shocking findings during their probe.
Four months after learners protested for the removal of senior staff members, the independent panel, led by Advocate Vusi Khuzwayo, with Advocate Makhosini Nkosi as the evidence leader, as well as educational psychologist, Dr Nontobeko Buthelezi and Jackie Pretorius-Bishop as the secretariat provided by SD Moloi Attorneys, revealed their findings and recommendations.
Although the panel was given 21 days to conduct an investigation into the allegations by the learners and their parents at the school after police were called in to quell the tension, Mshengu said more time was awarded to the panel due to the complexities of the allegations.
Linda Jorgensen, the school’s principal, was placed on precautionary suspension at the preliminary stages of the investigation as the panel recommended that it would facilitate the ease of the investigation.
He said the investigation has found that racism at Grosvenor Girls High School is systematic, structural and that white authority dominates all facets at the school.
Mshengu said a commission will assist in uncovering other racial sufferings and to develop norms and standards to prevent racial abuses in all schools.
“We are satisfied that the panel covered all necessary ground and allowed all interested parties to tender evidence before arriving at its findings and recommendations. The panel received historical accounts of disruptions within the school during the period 2017 to 2022. These accounts included allegations of racial prejudice, discrimination, dehumanisation, and financial irregularities.
“I will be studying the report and will brief the premier on the findings and recommendations. The intention is, by next week, I will release the report to the public and indicate what actions the department will take based on the findings and recommendations of the report.”
Findings of the panel:
The report found, among several issues, that racism is normalised and “second nature” at the school.
“The report lists a litany of instances where the principal has used derogatory, discriminatory, and dehumanising language when dealing with race related issues.
“There is a general feeling among the African support staff that they are not treated with respect, dignity, and courtesy by the school management because of their race. This discriminatory and inhumane treatment comes from both White and Indian members of management.
“The principal speaks disparagingly of ‘township schools’ and does not hide her prejudice against schools in township. Evidence was led where the principal constantly shouted at African learners reminding them that Grosvenor Girls High School is not a township school, and they must go back to these township schools.
“Teachers are told to recruit more white learners because the school belongs to white learners.”
Mshengu said he found it shocking that the department did not take any further steps after an investigation revealed financial mismanagement of R3.4m based on findings relating to improper use of school funds and non-compliance with polices, but was pleased to announce that the panel uncovered the recent maladministration, which he said Jorgensen and the school’s deputy principal, Aarthi Brijiraj, are accountable for.
Maladministration:
The report further states that the school had incurred irregular procurement processes in conflict with the finance policy.
“The school employed SGB employees without knowledge, permission, or authority of the SGB. In doing so, Jorgensen and Brijraj usurped the functions and powers of the SGB.
“Jorgensen and Brijraj committed misconduct by employing Brijraj’s family members without following policy and these employees did not meet the requirements for which they were employed.
“Jorgensen and Brijraj have promoted irregular procurement of the services of Brijraj’s sister, Kavita Soomaroo. A year later, Soomaroo’s employment contract was unlawfully converted into an independent contractor.
“Soomaroo was engaged at an hourly rate of R84.00 exclusive of VAT as though she is VAT registered; issues invoices which are the same amount as the monthly salary she earned on the full-time employment; and has claimed and subsequently been paid for hours she did not work.
“Jorgensen and Brijraj reemployed Mrs Getze, who had misled the CCMA when she alleged that the SGB, as her employer, constructively dismissed her.”
Recommendations made by the panel:
The report recommended that the department intervenes and reviews all appointments made by the principal as well as the contracts she signed with the affected employees.
“In the instance of all employees who are found to have been employed without meeting basic requirements and any other specific requirements for the post, their services should be considered for immediate termination.”
Mshengu said he decided to accept all the recommendations given by the panel and have referred the report to the head of department for implementation.
“I have also directed legal services to lay a complaint against the principal with the Human Rights Commission. We extend our sincere gratitude to all who assisted the panel with information, documents, and other referrals. We all have a duty to protect of our learners from any forms of racial attitudes and provide them with a better chance to be a generation that will live in a truly non-racial South Africa.
“This will depend on the protection they receive from authorities and general members of society alike. We must act in unison to defeat all the vestiges of the past,” added Mshengu.
Mshengu said he decided to accept all the recommendations given by the panel and have referred the report to the head of department for implementation.
“I have also directed legal services to lay a complaint against the principal with the Human Rights Commission. We extend our sincere gratitude to all who assisted the panel with information, documents, and other referrals. We all have a duty to protect of our learners from any forms of racial attitudes and provide them with a better chance to be a generation that will live in a truly non-racial South Africa.”
