Pupils face disciplinary hearing over 'mock slave auction' of black classmates

Four suspended pupils will face a disciplinary hearing over a purported “mock slave auction” of their black classmates at Pinelands High School in Cape Town.

Grade 8 pupils were recorded on video “bidding” for their peers who were allegedly rounded up by coloured pupils and placed in an enclosed area before classes started on Thursday.

“The investigation is ongoing and nearing completion with 24 learners having been interviewed in the first two [school days] since the allegations were made,” provincial education department spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said on Wednesday.

“Four learners are on suspension and will face a disciplinary hearing.”  

The video footage, captioned “slavery at school is crazy”, caused an outcry when it was shared on social media. It depicted some pupils “bidding” up to R100,000 and offering to “purchase” their peers with bitcoin.

“Steps will also be taken against other learners who may have transgressed certain provisions in the code of conduct,” said Hammond.

“Counselling support has been prioritised, with debriefing sessions having already taken place for all grade 8 learners and further support for the rest of the school. A disciplinary process is being followed. The outcome of this process will determine the way forward in addressing this matter further.”  

The incident, and a second involving a racial slur at another high school in the city, is being investigated by the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC).

In the second incident, a substitute teacher allegedly used a racial slur, the K-word, during a history lesson on black consciousness at Table View High School.

The education department's labour relations directorate will visit the school on Thursday. “Based on the findings of that investigation, a decision will be made regarding disciplinary action,” said Hammond.

The chairperson of parliament's select committee on education Makhi Feni said: “The question we ought to ask is what emboldens a person, hardly a teenager, with no knowledge of where we come from as a country, to act in a manner that points to racism? Surely, our children are not and should not be racist.”

He urged the basic education department to determine the extent of the problem. “We need to make schools safe spaces for all learners from all backgrounds.”

SAHRC commissioner Chris Nissen told the SABC: “In this country we've got a history of slavery ... so its unacceptable [the Pinelands incident] and we will investigate.” 

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