The SA Human Rights Commission’s (SAHRC) Western Cape office has given insight to recent cases dealt with including preventing the eviction of a quadriplegic man and his mother, interventions following claims of racism at high schools, the placement of learners, and the highly publicised FlySafair incident involving former SABC employee Nobuntu “Nobs” Mkhize.
Matthew du Plessis, senior legal officer, said the Mkhize matter was not concluded yet as they were struggling to reach her in order to get a response on the allegations.
“On this matter we are experiencing a bit of a challenge on reaching Miss Mkhize,” he said.
“We have deployed a tracing agent to get contact details for her but the emails that we have received do seem to be working.
“We have posted a letter to her known address, setting out the allegations, asking her response thereto, which is ordinary procedure for the Commission.
“These things do happen and it does not weaken our resolve to address the matter.”
Mkhize was interviewed by Newszroom Afrika last week and said she apologised to the coloured community and also claimed that she was not drunk or racist.
A video that went viral showed Mkhize saying: “You're a coloured from Mitchell's Plain, all these gold rings but no degree. Right now when we land, I'm going to take an Uber home. You don't even have a (driver's) licence. You don't even have a car.”
Cases of racism and bullying also came under the radar of the SAHRC, including the Pinelands High School “slave trade” incident.
The school was flung into the spotlight after learners filmed their peers “selling off” their black classmates in a mock slave auction.
The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) said five learners were suspended in which the video footage showed black learners kept in what was allegedly portrayed as an auction site with them being caged.
The SAHRC also highlighted the Table View k- word saga, when a white substitute History teacher was accused of using the k-word during a lesson with grade 12 learners.
Zena Nair, provincial manager of the SAHRC, was asked how many complaints they had dealt with involving racism at school and the nature of the complaints and resolutions.
Nair said as the matters involved minors it was sensitive and identified the two cases and said it led to them hosting an initiative relating to bullying at schools.
Another issue raised was a pattern of independent schools withholding a learner’s report and transfer papers.
“In this (one) case, it prevented the child from registering at their new school despite being accepted.
"We reminded the other school of national policy and law that no learner may be denied access to education due to financial disputes," he said.
“The documents were promptly released. Following our intervention, the learner was able to continue with his schooling.”
The team also shared their roles in monitoring services and infrastructure at schools, places of child care, old age homes, prisons and schools where reports were written on how to improve conditions and if services were being provided.
Du Plessis also highlighted their success cases.
One involved Marcellino Ernstzen, 39, a quadriplegic man with cerebral palsy who is being cared for by his mother, Charlene Phipps.
They faced eviction earlier this month from their home in Ruyterwacht at a Communicare residence.
Du Plessis said following their intervention, a hold was placed on the eviction and a solution was being sought for proper accommodation for the family.
Cape Argus