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The DA in Mpumalanga condemns a decision made by some parents of Hendrina Combined School to bar learners of colour from attending a privately-organised matric farewell.

The DA received this information from angry parents who were yesterday notified at a meeting for the English matric class that the school’s white parents and scholars had decided to host their own matric farewell, and that the black learners must hold their own - citing “cultural differences” as the reason for the separate events.

It is very sad that after nearly two decades of democracy and 25 years of racial integration, parents still choose to harm their children and their relationships with other cultures in such a downright racist manner.

These learners form part of the new generation of South Africans (born frees) and have lived their entire lives in a democratic society, supposedly free from racism, prejudice and bigotry.

The DA telephonically engaged with the school principal on two separate occasions. During the first he stated that because the school was unable to pay for a matric dance, the required funds were raised by a parents committee. But in the second discussion he changed his stance saying that the school was hosting a combined farewell which all learners were invited to.

In this light, the DA calls on the provincial Department of Education to intervene immediately, and launch a high level investigation on how this situation transpired.

The DA regards this situation as damaging and volatile, and firmly calls on the parents and learners causing this racial and cultural division to abandon their intentions, in order to prevent damage to the school and all its learners.