POLITICS

Racism at Overvaal condemned – SADTU

Union says this is a public school which must serve the needs of the community which is largely black

SADTU Gauteng condemns racism at Hoërskool Overvaal

18 January 2018

SADTU Gauteng condemns the brutal attack on peaceful demonstrators at Hoërskool Overvaal in Vereeniging. This justified demonstration follows a disappointing court judgement on Gauteng Department of Education's to place 55 grade 8 learners. The assertion of lack of capacity to accommodate these learners is used to block transformation and keep the school as the sole preserve for White Afrikaners.

The GDE started negotiations with the School Governing Body (SGB) in 2015 and suggested that 2018 be the year of commencement of dual medium of instruction.  The school has 21 classrooms,4 of which are not used for teaching and learning.  The school had 610 learners in 2017.The 55 grade 8 learners could have been easily accommodated in 2018.

This school has 22 state employed and 6 SGB employed educators all of whom are White. Clearly, the so called lack of capacity is nonsensical.

This is a public school which must serve the needs of the immediate community which is largely a Black community. The two primary schools in the area are English medium schools.  Community members around Overvaal Hoërskool are forced to transport their children far from their area of residence. The school management has admitted learners who stay more than 5km away from Afrikaans medium schools in order to keep it as a single medium school.

Clearly, the Overvaal Hoërskool SGB which is 100% White is pursuing a racist agenda supported by minority racist political parties.

We condemn racism and we shall mount a campaign to transform the school together with progressive structures.  We shall not flinch in our resolve to ensure that “The Doors of Learning Shall be open to All”.

We support the GDE's resolve to appeal this anti transformation court judgement.  We trust that a different court shall arrive at a different order which is consistent with the Constitution of our country.

Issued by Tseliso Ledimo, Provincial Secretary, SADTU, 18 January 2018