Education MEC Debbie Schäfer has refused to cancel a concert by controversial Afrikaans singer Steve Hofmeyr at Overberg Primary School, saying the “Western Cape government supports the right to freedom of speech”.
This after a former school acquaintance of Hofmeyr's, Desmond Bailes, wrote a letter to Schäfer this week asking the DA to stop the concert on 20 April.
In his letter, Bailes said Hofmeyr should perform his concert elsewhere, reports the Cape Times.
“How are the black pupils to feel when this repugnant Afrikaner with racist views starts singing the old anthem and the apartheid flags start waving?
“There are many more suitable venues in Caledon where Hofmeyr could perform his disgusting brand of Afrikaner racism,” the letter reads.
But Schäfer said she won’t intervene.
“The school has hired out the hall to the Greyton NGK Dutch Reformed Church for this event. The Western Cape government supports the right to freedom of speech and I will thus not instruct the cancellation of the concert," Schäfer explains.
“We have, however, asked the SGB whether they have taken into consideration all the opinions of the school community in making this decision. The final decision is theirs to make.”
Overberg Primary School principal Marius Koekemoer declined to comment.
Last month, the George Municipality backtracked on leasing the city hall to Hofmeyr following an outcry, but the concert went ahead.
Hofmeyr tweeted on Thursday: “I will only refrain from singing in hired state locations if, and only if, the local taxpayers’ association says so. I will only not sing in churches if the congregation says so...Who da boss now.”
ANC provincial secretary Faiez Jacobs said Schäfer’s decision was shameful and she should promote social cohesion programmes in smaller towns.