Public Outcry After Black Pupils Allegedly Held In Cage And Auctioned Off At Cape Town School

The South African Democratic Teachers Union (SADTU) has joined the outcry over a disturbing incident of racism at Pinelands High School in the Western Cape.

Grade eight students allegedly locked up black pupils in a cage and pretended to auction them to the highest bidder, with prices starting at R100,000.

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This shocking act was captured on video and has been widely shared online.The Western Cape Education Department has expressed its deep concern over the incident. Spokesperson Bronagh Hammond confirmed that the department has conducted interviews with the students involved and is offering counseling to the learners.

Despite these measures, SADTU Secretary-General Mugwena Maluleke insists that more decisive actions are needed.

Maluleke emphasized the necessity of suspending the students accused of this racist behaviour.

He stated, “It is something that needs to be condemned. As a community, we need to stand together and build a united nation so we can prosper. I fully agree with parents in the community that the students be suspended. This is necessary to allow investigations to proceed.”

He further noted that such a suspension would send a strong message to both parents and students that racism is intolerable and unacceptable in society.

An unidentified parent shared her distressing account with News24, revealing that her son resisted when other students attempted to “auction” him off.

“They were picking up black boys and putting them in the cage. It’s not like they went willingly,” she said. This parent’s testimony underscores the severity of the incident and the urgent need for effective interventions.

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The incident occurred just days after 12 students from Pretoria High School for Girls were suspended due to alleged racist text messages.

The white students reportedly formed an ethnically exclusive WhatsApp group where they shared “racial micro-aggressions” about other students.

“The conversations allegedly included racial commentary about the ongoing dissatisfaction among black learners regarding issues they faced at the school, alluding to these issues being insignificant,” Gauteng Department of Education spokesperson Steve Mabona said.