Pupils refuse to go to class, claiming racism at Durban school

KwaZulu-Natal education department officials were at a school in Phoenix, north of Durban, on Monday afternoon after pupils embarked on a protest, claiming there was widespread racism at Greenbury Secondary School.

The pupils began the protest on Friday when they refused to go to class. When the school week began on Monday, pupils held up placards, toyi-toyied and tried to block traffic on the road outside the school.

Provincial departmental spokesperson Muzi Mahlambi told TimesLIVE on Monday afternoon that officials were still at the school, trying to resolve the issue.

“Pupils began protesting on Friday and this continued on Monday. Officials are there trying to ascertain what exactly are the issues,” he said.

He said there were claims that some teachers may have incited the pupils to protest.

“There are also claims of racism but we are still trying to find out what this is about.”

Several parents told TimesLIVE that they had fetched their children from school on Monday morning and that the grievances were unclear.

TimesLIVE