Human Rights Commission holds hearings over unrest in Eldorado Park

10 October 2017 - 08:02 By Nomahlubi Jordaan
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Klipspruit West High School. File photo
Klipspruit West High School. File photo
Image: Sowetan LIVE

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) will from Tuesday be holding hearings to investigate the unrest in Eldorado Park and the disruptions at Klipspruit West High School.

On Tuesday and Wednesday‚ the hearings will take place at the JD Opperman Hall in Eldorado Park and at the City of Johannesburg Council Chambers in Braamfontein on Thursday and Friday.

“In earlier engagements with the community‚ issues relating to allegations of racism‚ marginalisation‚ inequality‚ and excessive use of force during service delivery protests were raised with the commission‚” the SAHRC said in a statement.

Members of the Eldorado Park community and surrounding areas‚ organisations‚ interest groups and the Gauteng provincial and local government have been invited to make written and oral submissions to the commission.

“Recent concerns around impacts to education arising at Klipspruit West Secondary School and schools in the surrounding areas will also be heard‚” the SAHRC said.

“The Commission seeks to promote social cohesion in Eldorado Park and through the process to protect the rights of vulnerable groups such as learners.”

In August‚ the communities of Klipspruit in Eldorado Park demanded that a full investigation be conducted into racial discrimination as they felt marginalised and systematically disenfranchised.

The communities accused Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi of not putting the interests of learners first when he dissolved a local school governing body.

Lesufi dissolved the SGB at the school after parents disrupted learning‚ calling for a black principal to be removed and replaced by a coloured one.

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