South Africa: Pupil allegedly victimised by principal over haircut

MBOMBELA – The Department of Education says every pupil has the right to human dignity and to have their rights respected. The department was commenting on a case of a 12-year-old schoolgirl in Matsulu who was allegedly turned away from school because her hair was said to make her look like a lesbian. The girl from Enzani Primary School in Matsulu was summoned to the principal’s office and was told to leave the school or get a brush cut.
Spokesman for the department, Mr Jasper Zwane, disputed the claim, saying it was false.”The department has followed the inquiry and discovered the child at school, attending classes as expected.” Zwane also added that the school has contradicted the allegation. “Our official saw the pupil in class. This means that the allegations made against the school are untruthful,” Zwane added. According to the girl’s mother, the principal told her daughter her haircut would cause her to become lesbian and should have it removed.

Khoza then added she has since taken her daughter to a barber to have all her hair cut off, but her daughter has become the laughing stock of the school. “Her classmates mock her and tell her that her head is like president Jacob Zuma’s,” she said. “Now every day that she goes to school, she has to wear a hat to avoid being mocked by her peers,” adds Khoza. She mentioned that it was not the first time her child had fallen victim to the abuse and mockery of her classmates. “Previously she removed all her hair and they spoke negative words to her, it is wrong and inhumane,” Khoza said.

The mother also mentioned that the verbal abuse has caused her daughter to lose confidence. “She is starting to think that there is something wrong with her, it is worrisome because it affects her academic performance,” she said. The DA in the province said comments of that nature should not be tolerated in a school environment as they were divisive. “The comments breed hatred and intolerance, which could lead to bullying. This is not the type of example a principal should set,” said Ms Jane Sithole, spokesperson for education in the DA. Sithole added that the comments could dent the girl’s self-esteem for a long time.