A group of alumni from Rustenburg Girls’ Junior School have been invited by the headmistress to a meeting to discuss their concerns about transformation following the controversial departure of the school’s first black full-time teacher. 

This comes after a letter was sent to the school where the group of alumni said they were “astounded” that it had taken the school until 2018 to appoint its first black teacher, Nozipho Mthembu, who controversially left in September.

READ: Rustenburg girls alumni in open letter: ‘We were forced to become more white’

They were also horrified that a child could ask if a black teacher is a “real teacher”, as reported by the Mail & Guardian which covered Mthembu’s departure.

Mthembu said she was forced to resign after a fraught period in which her abilities were questioned, as reported by the Mail & Guardian at the time.

“It is extraordinary that this was the first time for many being taught by a black teacher, outside of isiXhosa classes”, the group said in the letter.

They told News24 the school headmistress, Di Berry, has written back and invited the alumni to visit the school at any time to discuss their concerns. 

Comment from Berry was not immediately available on Friday, but in the letter, Berry also offered to set up a formal meeting with people in the group. 

“I am happy to arrange a formal meeting with the group if you would prefer. Please let me know if you are open to this and I will set up a date,” she wrote. 

One of the past pupils, Professor Nuraan Davids, told News24 the school governing body (SGB) turned down its request for its dissolution.

“It is clear from the statement that both the leadership and SGB have yet to realise the criticality of safe and inclusive schooling spaces, and they have yet to acknowledge that without trust, it will be hard to shift this school out of its current stalemate,” said Davids.

The parents would in the meantime meet to plan clear strategies for the way forward.

“We are encouraged by the tremendous support we have received by a number of other schools, as well as civil society groups. We are also encouraged by the position adopted by the principal of Rustenburg Girls’ High – where instead of denying and resisting change, he is prepared to listen and act.

“Finally, we once again appeal to the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) to fulfil its mandate – which is that public schools in South Africa provide just and equitable spaces to all [pupils] and teachers.”

READ: ANC Western Cape lambasts education dept over racism allegations against top school

However, the education department said earlier this week that parents were misrepresenting the situation regarding transformation, and said it had been dealing with it since it was raised November 2017.

WCED spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said that because the year was nearing end, an undertaking was given that in 2018 there would be meetings to hear “all sides of the story” and seek a conciliatory approach. 

“At no stage issues of racism were raised. The concerns related to this group’s perception that the school was making slow progress with transformation and embracing diversity,” said Hammond.

Since then, the SGB elections were held in all schools in March and new governors were democratically elected for all schools in Western Cape, she said.

“At a meeting with all parties present, the concerned parents outlined the steps they had taken to try to speed up transformation at the school. 

“Similarly, the SGB had also indicated the various interventions that they had done in creating diversity awareness and their assurance of their commitment to transformation.”

Hammond said at the last meeting in September 2018, an agreement was reached by all parties for co-operation and that the group of concerned parents would form part of the SGB’s diversity subcommittee. 

The matter of the teacher’s resignation was not under discussion.

The department is also going to recommend external mediation. 

Meanwhile, the department said it employed teachers in line with employment equity laws. 

Asked for a demographic of the teachers, she said the department was unable to comply because the SGB did not have a duty to inform the department who they appointed because they were an independent entity elected by the body of parents. 

It has however rolled out teaching of isiXhosa to an additional 260 schools, including 725 Grade 1 classes, reaching 26 350 pupils in the province.  

The WCED currently offers isiXhosa at more than 25% of its schools, but English and Afrikaans are the predominant languages in schools.  

It plans to strengthen the teaching of African languages through the Incremental Introduction of African Languages (IIAL) in all public schools from Grades 1 to 12.

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The City of Johannesburg is encouraging residents to consider alternative burial methods for loved ones as private graves are unsustainable.

“One area that has seemingly escaped the reforming waves of cultural evolution is the act of burying our loved ones,” mayoral committee member for community development councillor Nonhlanhla Sifumba said in a statement on Thursday.

“The majority of people still opt for private graves for burial, which is unsustainable within cities such as Johannesburg – which has one of the highest amounts of burials in Gauteng because of migration patterns,” she said. 

The City of Johannesburg is of the view that if residents do not explore alternatives cities will not be able to provide sufficient burial space in the future.

“There are various alternative burial options available to people, especially for families with existing burial locations. These include reduction burials, which involve using a smaller coffin for remains in order for more room to be created for additional burial space in the same location.

“Another option which the City is seeing greater interest in, ideal for couples and families, is second burials in the same grave,” Sifumba added.

Above-ground burials

The latter, which is provided for in Johannesburg by-laws, is more affordable and environmentally friendly, according to Sifumba.

Although there is currently adequate burial space, the City suggests above-ground burials or cremations may also serve as an appropriate alternative.

“People may also opt for mausoleum burials, which are above-ground burials in a tomb or chamber that allows for families to be buried together within the structure.

“Moreover, there is the option of cremation, which some cultures have adopted as a preferred option – opting to scatter or place the ashes in a memorial wall to commemorate the life of the deceased,” Sifumba said.

Civil society and religious leaders should begin considering the above alternatives to commemorate loved ones, according to the City, which anticipates growth in urban areas in the near future that cemeteries will not be able to accommodate.

“Religious leaders and funeral directors are requested to continuously engage bereaved families about alternatives to enable the City of Joburg to provide dignified burial options for loved ones,” Sifumba concluded.

The 2019 elections will take place on May 8, 15, 22, or 29, while the final voter registration weekend will take place at the end of January, the IEC has announced.

Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) chairperson Glen Mashinini made the announcement at a press briefing in Centurion on Wednesday.

READ: IEC not planning for rumoured early elections, on track for 2019

He said the commission had met with President Cyril Ramaphosa in August, and he had said that he wanted the elections to take place before the end of May. By law, the elections need to take place by August 2019.

Ramaphosa is expected to proclaim the election date in February, Mashinini said.

In March, the IEC will receive candidate nominations from political parties, and all the parties will sign the electoral code of conduct.

International registration

The final voter registration weekend before the elections meanwhile will be on January 26 and 27, IEC chief electoral officer Sy Mamabolo said.

Mamabolo said the voter registration weekend was to allow new voters to register, and for those already on the voters roll to change their details if they needed to.

Voters will have to provide their address or a description of where they live, but documented proof of address is not required, he said.

The IEC is also putting in place plans for South Africans living outside the country to register to vote at embassies, high commissions and consulates abroad.

The date for the international registration weekend will be announced soon, and is likely to take place just before or after the South African registration weekend, Mamabolo said.

Voter registration will also take place in prisons. Mamabolo said that prisoners were regarded as being registered to vote in the voting districts where they were incarcerated.

Family members of prisoners would need to give their IDs to them before the election drive.

The IEC also raised concerns about the low number of young and first time voters on the voters’ roll. Mamabolo said the IEC will launch a national communication and education campaign.

“A key thrust will be encouraging first time voters to register,” he said. Mamabolo said that just about 15.6% of the voting age population are voters aged 18 and 19.

While the majority of people who registered in the last three elections were between the age of 19 and 29, this was coming off of a low base.

“We have not been able to reverse the trend of general under representation of young people on the roll,” said Mamabolo.

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A MyCiTi bus at the Omuramba station in Milnerton, Cape Town, was set alight on Tuesday morning.

Western Cape traffic chief Kenny Africa said the incident took place at around 06:00, and the driver managed to escape unharmed. The bus was empty at the time and there were no injuries.

Africa said the police were investigating the cause of the fire, as well as who was behind it.

City of Cape Town mayoral committee member for safety and security JP Smith said it was not clear who was behind the fire and said there were no protesters in the vicinity at the time of the incident.

There has been an ongoing wildcat strike by bus drivers which recently turned violent. 

READ: MyCiTi bus drivers promise to ‘escalate’ strike if grievances aren’t addressed

He added that it “follows a pattern of attacks on isolated buses”.

MyCiti bus drivers embarked on a wildcat strike on October 14, with reports of intimidation and harassment. Several routes were diverted. The workers are demanding better pay and working conditions, as well as an end to the use of labour brokers.

A MyCiTi bus was stoned in Khayelitsha on October 23, and a petrol bomb was thrown at the MyCiTi bus station in Kuyasa. It was not immediately clear whether this was the same incident.

The City of Cape Town obtained an urgent interdict the week before, to stop striking drivers from intimidating, harassing or assaulting MyCiTi passengers or staff. Drivers were also interdicted from damaging MyCiTi stations or buses, and gathering less than 100m from MyCiTi stations or buses.

Part of the conflict between the City and the drivers is that the City wanted to engage with their union representatives, while the drivers said they wanted the EFF to represent them.

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