A substitute history teacher at the centre of racism allegations at Table View High School has been suspended following the conclusion of an investigation.
A report on the investigation and its findings is yet to be made public.
The educator allegedly used the k-word during a matric history lesson, an act that sparked outrage.
Western Cape Education Department (WCED) spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said the educator will now be hauled before a disciplinary hearing.
Earlier this month the department said the investigative report had been finalised, with recommendations. It was currently being circulated for approval and would determine the process going forward.
“The teacher has been suspended until finalisation of the disciplinary hearing, which will take place in September,” said Hammond.
The department’s decision to suspend the teacher comes after parents called for action immediately after the allegations emerged, saying the teacher was being protected at the expense of a learner’s feelings.
However, the WCED would only say that the relevant labour processes were under way.
When initially asked about the teacher’s continued presence at school in light of the serious allegations against her, the department reasoned that the school had been monitoring her classroom practice – with another teacher present.
Parent Loyiso Mfubesi said they were looking forward to knowing the recommendations which led to her suspension.
“What was special about this teacher in the first place? Because the department refused to temporarily suspend her pending the investigation outcome.
In other cases this is done. It seems we will always wait to read from the media about updates pertaining to this matter,” said Mfubesi.
“As parents we were never informed that the investigation was concluded and even now with this big decision we know nothing about the teacher being out of the school.
“Zero communication with us people who have children who were affected,” said Mfubesi.
The leader of the opposition in the Western Cape legislature, the ANC's Khalid Sayed, welcomed the decision to suspend the teacher.
“We raised this matter at the legislature last week.
“The ANC welcomes the suspension. We also respect the process, so we will await the disciplinary outcomes and until the recommendations are made public to give further input on the matter,” said Sayed.
Elsewhere, the disciplinary hearings matter at Pinelands High School were nearing completion, said Hammond.
Pupils were captured on video footage “selling off” their black peers as “slaves”.
Five learners were suspended after the video with the caption “Slavery at schools is crazy” went viral, where black learners were caged in what appeared to be a storage space while their coloured peers pretended to auction them off.
Steps were also expected to be taken against other learners who may have transgressed certain provisions of a code of conduct.
The South African Human Rights Commission had also announced that it would conduct its own investigation.
It had not responded to questions by deadline on Wednesday.
Cape Times