Gauteng education department ‘disappointed’ as 12 Pretoria High School for Girls learners cleared

Good on these young black women for standing up to racism, however subtle, and not turning the cheek- those days are over.

Reading this article you wouldn't say that the 12 girls were found not guilty. It seems that this writer still thinks that further trial by media is deserved. As if the trauma to the 12 girls by the DoE asking the whole school if they must be suspended and the media crucifixion was not enough .

The poor principal dealt with the microagressions nearly a year ago by talking to the girls and educating them. There was no indication in any reports that it continued after that talk. She couldn't suspend them because there was no proper cause, as there wasn't now. Education not denigration needed

It seems to me these 12 girls are the victims of racism.

Im just glad no one gets upset about those teachers that get young girls drunk at school and rape them and then force them to have abortions. This is way worse. Also worse than the almost 400 children that have been shot in the WC so far this year. Im glad the media is focusing on this.

Where does the "whites-only" come from? Is that the name of the WhatsApp group? Going by some of the WhatsApp contents and ages of these kids, some racial understanding, tolerance and sensitivity coaching may be helpful.

Let's discuss the Black Business Council, Black Lawyers Assoc, and other exclusively black organisations, and imagine a White Business Council etc.? All the outrage and diversity training courses will not remove freedom of association, largely dictated by culture and language.

Wonder who are all EFF or MK members - jounalist, officials from the Education Department and of course, Mabona. There was an ourcome from the enquiry. Now attack the outcome because it is not what was expected? I belong to a whats app group from my neiberhood. Am I racist?

The report is publivly available. 8 of the girls on the PRIVATE chat said nothing. 2 said barely anything and worst thing the other 2 who did said was that black girls get into provincial sports teams or medcine at univ eazier than white kids.

Another massive Fail on DM’s part. Both here and in the earlier reporting on this, only talking about the black girls and their parents said or felt. Nothing about these white girls, even in the face of the conclusion that they have been falsely accused. No effort at balanced reporting at all.

Anyone else find it concerning that the Gauteng education department is ‘disappointed’ 12 Pretoria High School are not racist? Shouldn't they be neutral and purely evaluate facts rather than lead a gleeful witch hunt to ruin the lives of 12 kids unnecessarily?

Its quite legal to have blacks only societies in SA and all over the world. Whites don't generally give a fig. Nobody call this racist. It never makes the news. National association of black journalists in USA for example. Why does this even exist. Here in South Africa we have many examples.

Is it racist to coment on double standards?

DM your reporting on this matter falls far short of professional journalistic integrity and in the process you are not assisting society to build healthy non-racial relations. Shame on you!

This article is very one sided like all the rest of the press coverage of this issue. I’m very disappointed that the DM hasn’t tried to cover this issue in a balanced fashion. What actually happened? Why were the girls found not guilty? None of this appears to matter in the media show trials.

Bravo, Daily Maverick! Yet another masterclass in the art of selective storytelling. It's truly impressive how you've managed to distill complex issues into such a refreshingly one-sided narrative. The subtlety with which you wield your editorial control to champion the cause of race baiting is nothing short of genius. Who needs balanced journalism when we can indulge in such finely crafted bias? Keep up the stellar work!

For some balance read Richard Wilkinson on Politicsweb for what actually happened.

For some balance read Richard Wilkinson on Politicsweb for what actually happened.

Hmmm, 12 girls cleared and the Gestapo "upset". Ok, publish said Whatsapps. Let's all see how this miscarriage of justice occurred. I'd hedge a bet the reason it's not published is because there's nothing in it and merely a deflection from the real issue of the girl who still remains suspended.

Entitled "Another noxious race hoax".

It would be nice and very refreshing to see all "ALL" the people who demonstrated and held up anti racist posters, do the same again, with "Were Sorry " posters for naturally assuming racism took place. Each and every one of them jumped to the wrong conclusion. Makes them knee jerk racists.

It seems that in the face of their failure to address the real issues facing education in this country such as the deplorable, embarrassing and disempowering numeracy and literacy rates, the Gauteng Dept of Ed is resorting to race baiting and the DM to click bait journalism - shame on both of you.

Thus is what I said all along, a set-up by extremely jealous black pupils ad the only way to get attention is to cry "racists" now I sincerely hope to see 13 lawsuits against all the accusers, the education dept, and the media, 12 for the girls, and one for the falsely accused Head of the school.

Further, a public retraction and humble apology to EVERYONE falsly accused by the media including you, DM, and the hysteria that you caused around these girls and their Headmistress. Shame on you.

This tendentious little piece of smear journalism will live on in well-deserved ignominy. That it got past the editor is a travesty all of its own, but the blind, prurient, relentless need to thought-police and to politicise what is ultimately a private matter among individuals, is disgraceful.

Not surprised that the racist ANC government is disappointed that there's no evidence of white on black racism... doesn't suit their narrative when society don't follow their racist lead

The whole media presented this story as an open and shut case of racism. No journalism at all. But that's the press and TV these days, push the narrative and shut down questions. And these are the people who want to censor social media to stop 'misinformation' and 'hate'.

Apartheid: swart gevaar and reds under the beds Corrupheid: wit gevaar and racists in every bush. ANC: "innocent until found guilty" — (for themselves) ANC: "guilty although found innocent" — (for Others) What the Lesufia has done is destroy the lives of twelve children and their headmistress.

"Parents also called for a harsh punishment for the girls involved." Which parents, Ms Njilo? Which girls - numbers 1 to 12 or number 13?

Good. Rule of law prevailed.

Why is the principal still suspended? It's shocking that pupils were suspended for alleged connotations & 'micro-aggressions'.Micro aggressions aren't even a thing, people need to step back & calm down before baying for suspensions & school closures & losing all sense of reality.

How can they, except when they presumed the girls to have been guilty, be "disappointed"?

To me, this sounds like the Gauteng Department of Education is disappointed that a so-called racial issue was not a racial issue to begin with, which would imply that the Gauteng Department of Education is not as neutral as they would portray themselves to be. White pupils found to have been racist = burn them at the stakes. White pupils not found to have been racist = disappointment. How on earth is a country supposed to move past and move forward, when the very departments that help shape young minds seems to be perpetuating racist behaviour and views by their actions and utterances? I wonder if, had the colour band have been applied in reverse, if as much noise would have been made...

The South African Human Rights Commission is investigating both incidents. Let us wait for that report which we pray will be unbiased and fair.

This is a piece of clickbait. What the Department seems to be upset about is the process and the lack of reporting. There's nothing quoted here which says that they are disappointed with the outcome.

I'm extremely grateful that my daughter is done with schooling. Casual racism directed at white kids in and out of the classroom has been tolerated if not even encouraged for most of her school career. She has spent that at expensive private schools where few if any people beyond the small number of bursary recipients have ever experienced anything approximating 'previous disadvantage'. Things that she's reported having said in her presence would probably warrant suspensions and reams of journalistic output if the word 'white' was substituted with 'black' and the speaker was white rather than black.

The rush to judgement with this affair has been shocking from the press and education officials alike. I haven't seen one article on the young black girl and her toxic videos about Whites on Twitter (X). If it is mentioned at all it's as an aside and almost as if it doesn't matter. Hardly anyone has mentioned that she was suspended too. And the schoolgirls in full uniform chanting the jolly old "kill the boer" along with the EFF in front of the school. That's OK is it.

DM: With this descent into the gutter press and totally one sided "journalism", I will not renew my subscription. Add to that suddenly putting me on your "naughty list" because I ragged someone about writing all in capitals. Your reintroduction of the 300-char limit, while allowing some more. Why?

Ah yes. And your links to articles when moderating comments are a good innovation - but still broken. Drop everything including "?dm_source= . . ."

This was a racist witch hunt by black racists just like the all black clicks advertising team who fabricated a fake hate crime with the help of the EFF. They have done the same here. We want to hear from the white kids, we want those white kids to lay charges of crime injuria against the department

DUE THE DEPARTMENT FOR RACISM AND LAY CHARGES OF CRIME INJURIA

Oh no, I must be in the wrong place? This feels like an opinion piece, not a reporting piece? Come on DM, if you are not going to come with facts then I can no longer trust you. I am especially curious about the factual links between this and the Western Cape Pinelands High School.

The white students and the white headmistress must sue the department of education, the black students, the EFF, the various news outlets who fasley pushed this narrative. GP DoE said even when there is no evidence of racism they must still find the white girls guilty. This is human rights atrocity