Parents from Rustenburg Girls’ Junior School have rallied behind its first black teacher who was constructively dismissed‚ claiming that the alleged racism that forced her out was just the tip of the iceberg.
The group of parents‚ calling themselves Parents for Change‚ said: “There are numerous unspoken issues of racism‚ discrimination and humiliation at the school. The principal‚ school management team and the school governing body have chosen to turn a blind eye.”
They were responding to reports that the school‚ one of the leading public schools in Cape Town‚ discriminated against Nozipho Mthembu. The 26-year-old‚ who was the first black class teacher at the school‚ went to the CCMA demanding compensation following consistent discriminatory treatment.
She alleged that not only did the school single her out for a “mentorship programme” which left her more traumatised than supported‚ its principal Di Berry and school governing body (SGB) chairman Gavin Downward gave her an ultimatum to resign or face disciplinary action that would “ruin her reputation”.