"We are sickened by the reported racial discrimination doing the rounds at schools in Gauteng," provincial leader Bonginkosi Dhlamini said in a statement.

The Star reported on Thursday that several parents of pupils at the Parkdene Primary School in Boksburg claimed the children suffered racial abuse and discrimination.

This was apparently because they wore red strings around their wrists as part of the Hindu faith.

A grade three pupil was reportedly discriminated against by his music teacher, who is the principal's wife, for wearing red strings on his wrists.

His parents claimed he was called a "coolie" several times in front of his classmates and told to take the string off.

After complaining, the parents were told the pupil had to wear a red jersey to hide the string.

The principal refused to comment, saying the department was dealing with the matter.

Dhlamini said the teacher's alleged behaviour "demonstrates the dwindling humanistic culture in our society".

"This unendurable action by the teacher is a regressive sign of racial battles still protruding in our society, and strict measures needs to be taken against those who... blatantly attack innocent children because of their race and religion."

Education spokesman Charles Phahlane was not immediately available for comment.