The Economic Freedom Fighters in Gauteng has reacted angrily to a reported racist incident which happened at Curro Academy Protea Glen Primary School in Soweto, where the institution’s executive head allegedly called a fellow black woman teacher a monkey.
Sunday World reported that 29-year-old Nonkululeko Gwatyu alleges that Shanette Tiquin, who is in her 50s, called her a monkey inside the school’s premises in Protea Glen in June.
On Monday, EFF Gauteng chairperson Nkululeko Dunga said the political party has been “infuriated” by the incident.
“The Economic Freedom Fighters in Gauteng is infuriated by the racist actions of the Curro Academy Protea Glen Primary School executive head, Shanette Tiquin. The EFF in Gauteng calls for her immediate removal and that she officially be criminally charged with hate speech,” said Dunga.
The racist incident was reported to the school and a formal complaint was lodged by Gwatyu.
“Unsurprisingly, the school's head of operations cowardly engaged in a malicious compliance process and shielded the racist Mrs Tiquin from accountability and insinuated that there should not be consequences for racism. This comes as no surprise as Curro schools are forever making headlines for their unrepentant racist behaviours,” said Dunga.
He said no “real actions” have been taken against the group of private schools, despite the reported previous incidents of racism.
“South Africa remains deeply scarred by its apartheid and colonial history. Black people in this country still cannot reconcile with the fact that almost 30 years into democracy, we are yet to experience any form of reparations. The transition from apartheid to democracy has not yielded any decisive structural change in our society.
“White racists are still arrogant and display their racism without any fear of consequences,” said Dunga.
The EFF in Gauteng is calling for the removal of Tiquin as executive head of the school and that she be dismissed from her job with immediate effect.
“We further call on the South African Human Rights Council to pay specific attention to cases of racism levelled against Curro Holdings as these incidents are not isolated. Racism must be criminalised and perpetrators who seek to humiliate and insult the dignity of black people must be made to pay the harshest penalty. This evil cannot be left untouched any longer,” said Dunga.
In the Sunday World report, Curro’s public relations officer Nadia Rossouw had confirmed that Gwatyu filed a formal complaint against Tiquin.
IOL