A Pretoria school is in trouble for allegedly ordering black girls to straighten their hair.
“We are tired, we are tired”, chanted hundreds of black students as they emerged from classes during their break that coincided with the Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi’s visit to Pretoria High School for Girls yesterday.
Lesufi, accompanied by officials from the national and provincial departments of basic education were at the school after the students wrote a petition to the MEC’s office requesting intervention over “rampant racist” incidents.
Panyaza said he wanted a meeting with the learners first, and asked the school’s management and members of the ANC and EFF to leave.
The girls complained that teachers told them their hair was “untidy”.
“She said my hair looks like a bird’s nest. She said my hair was untidy but I take time every morning to make up my hair. I do not see anything wrong with my hair,” said one learner.
They claim the school also banned African hairstyles such as afros, bantu knots, dreadlocks and braids.
Another learner said “a teacher called her a monkey”.