Protests outside Hoërskool Jan Viljoen after a fight between black and white students broke out at the school
Randfontein – Stun grenades and rubber bullets were used on protestors after tensions escalated outside Hoërskool Jan Viljoen in Randfontein on Monday.
Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi was at the school to meet leadership after a fight broke out on Friday between black and white students which protestors believe was race related.
Police were present and took statements from all those involved.
A parent of a Jan Viljoen student said this was not the first time a racially motivated incident occurred at the school.
“They have a lot [of race-related incidents] but as is usual, until there’s an incident that breaks out things like that get ignored… In that school, firstly there’s probably about 15% of black kids and 15 % of coloured kids. When we would go there to register our kids, they would tell us they only give lessons in Afrikaans until about three years ago… Last year when I went to look for space for my child, I was told she needs to be fluent in Afrikaans.”
The details of the fight are allegedly being passed around on a WhatsApp voice note. One is in Tswana and the other in Afrikaans.
According to the parent, the voice notes detail why the attack happened and how the students were treated unequally.
“Apparently the black kids in [one of] the grade[s] brought a small speaker to school. So, they were playing their own music sitting under a big tree which apparently the whites call it theirs and so the white kids complained that they were making [a] noise and wanted to take the speaker by force and then a fight broke out. The teachers came asking what was going on and then one girl tried to explain what happened and then a boy beat the girl up using his fists and she got a blue eye. Then the teachers told the black kids to go to their classes and separated the whites and blacks.”
The parent goes on to explain that the white parents were then called.
“They came into the school and fetched their kids. EPR security was also called, and they chased the black kids away so when their parents came, they were told to wait outside the school’s premises and their kids were beaten and chased out. The police did nothing about that.”
In the shared Afrikaans voice note, the male speaker’s version is the same, but he refers to the black kids in a derogatory manner.
“He said the school should actually keep them [the black kids] as far away from them as possible. He also said it’s the biggest racism fight the school has ever had and now they don’t even feel safe anymore at school and even at their residential places as some of the kids are their neighbours,” says the parent.
Protestors were made up of ANC, EFF and students from the surrounding schools. Not all the parents participated. It is believed some of the parents, who believe the allegations are lies, were seen standing at the front of the gate. They allegedly donated a private security force.
“Yes, they even donated a private security with bullet [proof] vests written SWAT and the other parents are having a meeting at their boarding side as it is a boarding school as well. White parents are saying the allegations are all lies.”
Parents want action to be taken but some believe, until the kids are taught that racism is wrong, these racially motivated acts will continue.
“The problem with racism issues is that the kids are taught these things at home. If we as parents cannot teach our children to be better and see beyond the skin colour then Panyaza can suspend, dismiss or take whatever disciplinary actions he can but it will not change anything.”
The MEC had a meeting with the school council, the victims, and their parents. An open meeting with the parents will take place 17 February at 6pm.
