Being told black people came from apes, or called by "bloody k word" and being barred from speaking their home languages are some of the challenges that black pupils are allegedly subjected to at Cornwall Hill College in Pretoria.
This has been revealed in an addendum by the school's alumni and pupils which is about exploration of racial injustices in SA and at Cornwall Hill College.
The 54-page addendum contained testimonials from pupils from as far back as 2013.
On Wednesday, parents at the prestigious school embarked on a protest action calling for the resignation of the school's executive principal Leon Kunneke for allegedly failing to deal with racial tensions at the academic institution.
Some of the placards they carried read: "We stand by our children. No to racism".
The protest action started last year after the school's alumni and pupils wrote an open letter to the college about the alleged racism. In the letter they wanted to acknowledge that racism against black pupils was being perpetuated by other pupils and teachers at the school.
The testimonies detailed racial abuses that the black pupils suffered at the school.
One of the pupils said in the biology/life science class they were doing the evolution chapter when they were told black people came from apes.
"The Caucasian said white people came from Adam and Eve whereas blacks came from apes. A black guy alerted the teacher who just smirked," read the testimony.
Another one wrote: "During a grade 9 camp black girls slept together in a room and in the other room was a group of white girls. The two rooms were separated by just a wall with space at the top. The white girls started yelling at us and throwing socks over the wall. We asked them to stop but we were shocked when the camp counsellor came to our room and dragged us all out and we slept outside."
Bokang Ramatsui, who was part of the class of 2018, said as a seven-year-old they played games with white friends in prep school.
"I was always made the maid or slave. When I questioned if I could play the role of the mom I was told people like you can't play such roles," she said.
Singo Ravele, a grade 10 pupil, said one of the accounts of racism that she experienced at the school was when they made black pupils demonstrate slavery.
"There were suggestions that black people relax their hair so it looks presentable. We were not allowed to speak our home languages, they said black people looked like monkeys. When we reported the incidents to teachers we were told that what we are saying are serious allegations and they know whoever we were complaining about would never be racist," she said.
Kunneke posted a letter on the school's Twitter page that the school remains committed to being a caring, egalitarian, non-racial and inclusive educational institution.
"We also have relevant policies and procedures in place which are designed to deal with any pertinent matters. The diversity and transformation committee, a sub committee of the board that was established in 2020, has had a number of meetings in accordance with their approved charters.
"These are matters relating to diversity that have been revised, hair policy, anti-discrimination policy, diversity training of management and staff, changes to board structure to enhance diversity and extension of the existing intern programme," said Kunneke.
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