The five white students suspended for their involvement in the controversial “auctioning” of black classmates at Pinelands High School have returned to school this week while disciplinary hearings are still underway.
Bronagh Hammond, spokesperson for the Western Cape education department, confirmed that the hearings are ongoing and involve numerous participants. “The disciplinary hearings at Pinelands High School are continuing.
“The process requires the participation of a significant number of individuals, and scheduling has been adjusted to accommodate everyone’s availability. The school aims to resolve the matter as promptly as possible,” Hammond said.
Under provincial regulations concerning school discipline, suspension, and expulsion, a student can be suspended precautionary for up to seven school days. “The five students are thus allowed to return to school while the process continues, in accordance with these regulations,” Hammond added.
The incident occurred on July 25, when a video surfaced showing Grade 8 students “bidding” on their black classmates, who were reportedly confined by the white students.
The video, captioned “slavery at school is crazy,” ignited widespread outrage on social media, with some students making bids as high as R100,000 and using bitcoin to “purchase” their peers.
As the investigation progresses, Hammond noted that the education department is not intervening in the school’s disciplinary process at this time.
“The school is proceeding with disciplinary actions as per the SA Schools Act, and we must allow this process to unfold,” Hammond stated.
The case has generated considerable debate and concern about racism and student behavior in South African schools. The public and education authorities are closely monitoring the outcome of the hearings.
