#BlackHairMatters: Clergy stands up to racism

Church leaders in Pretoria have offered to intervene in the fight against racism following the reported incidents at Pretoria High School for Girls.

Tshwane - Church leaders in Pretoria on Thursday offered to intervene in the fight against racism following the flaring-up of emotions across the country over the reported incidents of racism at Pretoria High School for Girls (PHSG).

“We believe that the PHSG incident is endemic. It lays bare the challenge to work for healing and reconciliation. We choose the words healing and reconciliation as opposed to the term social cohesion,” Anglican Bishop Allan Kannemeyer read out the joint statement.

“We have always believed that an education system that ignores our racial context fails to adequately prepare our young people for life in the new South Africa.

“Deep divisions have been fostered during colonialism and apartheid. We cannot just put the children of former victims and aggressors in the same space and expect them to get on with the task of education.”

Kannemeyer was flanked by Methodist Bishop Temba Mntambo, Catholic Bishop William Slattery, General Secretary of the South Africa Council of Churches and Ethiopian Episcopal Church Bishop Malusi Mpumlwana and SA Development Community Circle of Concerned African Women Theologians chairperson, Dr Nothando Hadebe.

The church leaders said South Africa needs to create spaces for honest dialogue about the horrific past.

“Teachers need assistance to come alongside children from cultures that are different from their own. Learners and their parents also need to be sensetised to the baggage brought into the melting pot of races and cultures in our mixed schools. We expect proactive leadership from our educators and government,” said Kannemeyer.

He said the flare-ups witnessed at the PHSG are manifestations of specific cultures and race. The flare-ups also revealed an unhappiness with the status quo.

“Something build into the current school context in racially mixed schools, undetected, is bubbling up. We need to handle it speedily before it causes serious distraction,” said Kannemeyer.

“As church leaders, we offer to come alongside educators, parents and learners in a bid to find creative solutions. We want you to know that you are not alone.”

Earlier this week, tempers flared at the PHSG with several organisation protesting after racism allegations emerged at the institution.

In a meeting with Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi, schoolgirls said the institution’s rules forbids African hairstyles such as afros, bantu knots, dreadlocks and braids.

Another learner said “a teacher called me a monkey”. The pupils claim they have been subjected to racism at the school for many years.

African News Agency