Fists fly as racial tensions explode at Witbank Technical High

Rival crowds exchanged blows and running battles were witnessed outside the Witbank Technical School in Mpumalanga on Monday

PRETORIA, June 14 (ANA) – Crowds exchanged blows and running battles were witnessed outside the Witbank Technical High School in Mpumalanga on Monday as rival groups claiming to represent learners at the institution fought to “protect” the school.

Some parents who spoke to Newzroom Afrika during the scuffles said the chaos emanated from a recent fight between a black learner and a white learner.

“The problem started off a schoolyard scuffle, and I’m sure if it was two white kids fighting, I’m sure we wouldn’t be here. If it were black kids fighting, I am sure they would have been silently expelled. There would be no issues at all,” one community member told the television news channel.

“The only thing that would have happened is to allow a few people inside the school gate (to) talk.”

Another community member outside the school said their intention was not violence but to protect their children.

“We had no intention of violence or touching anybody. Unfortunately, they (rival group) keep pushing forward to us. We want to protect the kids in the school. That is only why we are here. We are just trying to keep everybody outside,” the community member told Newzroom Afrika.

Some learners at the school said the racial tensions between learners have been simmering for long time.

“The children who are in the technical classes, we fight in class, and every time an incident happens they (school administration) say they are going to sort it. But they don’t. The other time there was a fight in class, they said we should write letters and nothing happened. It has been three weeks now,” said the learner interviewed by Newzroom Afrika.

Violent scenes were witnessed at the school entrance, with some people throwing stones at the rivals. Others were wielding sticks.

Last month, Gauteng Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi visited the Cornwall Hill College where he pledged to black learners and their parents that racism and mistreatment would no longer take place at the institution.

Lesufi was speaking at the school as parents and some learners gathered for a mass protest against racism at the school and the lack of commitment to transformation by the school’s leadership.

– African News Agency (ANA); Editing by Yaron Blecher