By Johnathan Paoli
The KwaZulu-Natal education department has confirmed reports of possible religious intolerance at the Drakensberg Secondary School in Estcourt.
Department spokesperson Muzi Mahlambi said on Sunday that initial reports indicated two Hindu pupils at the school were asked to remove their red Lakshmi prayer strings or cover them during school hours.
Mahlambi confirmed that under the Constitution, schools were under a legal obligation to allow students the right to freedom of religion.
“Religious observances can take place at state-aided or state institutions, but they must be conducted fairly, follow public authority rules, and be free and voluntary, hence, all schools must adhere to the precepts contained in our Constitution,” he said.
Mahlambi announced that the department has sent officials to the school for further investigations and to understand the allegations in more detail.
He, however, noted that the department would not rush to make a finding, differentiating between deliberate discrimination and ignorance.
Religious body, the South African Hindu Maha Sabha (SAHMS) has expressed outrage at the reports, stating that religious intolerance at schools was unacceptable.
SAHMS president Ashwin Trikanjee said that while mistakes in implementing constitutional principles in school might occur, the body would not let the matter rest should wilful discrimination be proven.
“I feel that the time may well come where when you get perpetrators who are deliberately flouting these principles that are enshrined in our Constitution, then we must seriously consider laying criminal charges against them,” Trikanjee said.
Meanwhile, school principal Sunjai Sewlal confirmed that in addition to the departmental investigation, the school commenced an internal investigation on 21 January, which was still underway.
Sewlal said that neither the school nor the school governing body would be able to comment on social media regarding the issue until the investigations have been concluded.
INSIDE EDUCATION
