Basic Education Committee Disgusted with “BLACKFACE” Incident Involving Educator at Duineveld Hoerskool in Upington

Parliament, Thursday, 14 August 2025 – The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education, Ms Joy Maimela, has noted with shock and disgust social media images of the “blackface” incident involving an educator at the infamous Duineveld Hoerskool in Upington, Northern Cape.
 
“I am utterly shocked that an educator would partake in an incident that clearly has been identified as racist behaviour. I am however not surprised that racism once again poked out its ugly head at the school. During an oversight visit by the committee in October last year, the committee noted several exclusionary practices at the school and urged the Northern Cape Education Department (NCED) and the national Department of Basic Education to address this,” Ms Maimela said.
 
The latest incident allegedly occurred at a school function last week and went viral on social media, triggering widespread outrage. In the video, the educator can be seen with his face painted black and wearing a black wig. It’s the second incident of racism at the school in less than a year. In September last year, a video went viral of a learner repeatedly using the k-word. In the video, that has been seen by hundreds of thousands of people, the pupil and three others join a live TikTok chat with a man identified as content creator @UncleSeeno, calling him a “k***** and a n*****”.
 
“During over oversight visit late last year we highlighted concerns that the school application forms and all its policies were, for example, only in Afrikaans. That reeks of exclusionary practices for any parent not understanding the language. By default, they are excluding any person that does not speak Afrikaans.”
 
Ms Maimela said that the committee noted the swift action by NCED MEC Mr Abraham Vosloo by placing the implicated teacher on suspension on the understanding that the investigation will unfold free from intimidation.
 
“Although we commend the action, the issue is broader than this incident. During our visit we were assured the school is undergoing social cohesion programmes for learners. Clearly learners are not the only ones in need of such session. We will interrogate the matter further with the provincial education department to establish what progress, if any, has been made with these sessions,” the Chairperson concluded.