The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has renewed its campaign against alleged racism in schools, a campaign some regard as a thinly veiled witch hunt targeting the white minority. At a Cape Town dialogue on Thursday, the SAHRC presented its case that racism in schools is both systemic and rampant. But recent events reveal a troubling picture of overreach and bias.

This latest SAHRC initiative follows an incident at Pretoria Girls' High School where allegations of racism against twelve white matric students collapsed, despite the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE)’s aggressive pursuit. Thabo Mbeki, South Africa’s former president, took Premier Panyaza Lesufi and Education MEC Matome Chiloane to task in a scathing letter that accused the GDE of staging a “witch hunt.” Mbeki pointed to rushed, unsubstantiated suspensions and a lack of formal investigation. An independent hearing cleared the accused students, but the school’s principal and deputy were still demoted, sparking outrage.

Mbeki called the GDE’s actions a “fishing expedition,” citing the inflammatory speech of a GDE official who publicly condemned the students, alongside forced apologies from the principal, Mrs. Erasmus. His review of the group’s communications found no evidence of racism or hate speech, and he demanded that the GDE halt its investigation and issue apologies to both staff and students. The Democratic Alliance echoed his concerns, calling for an end to what they described as a politically motivated probe.

Despite this admonition, the SAHRC has pressed ahead with further inquiries. Its Western Cape office gathered educators, parents, and students in a dialogue aimed at investigating the “prevalence of racism” in local schools. According to the SAHRC’s Commissioner for Education, Professor Tshepo Madlingozi, the Commission routinely initiates its own investigations, even when no formal complaints have been lodged.

The SAHRC has publicly affirmed the Commission’s policy of treating cases involving black and white individuals differently, citing a need to redress historical injustices—a stance raising further questions about fairness. It is renowned for the multiple occasions where it has championed the freedom of black politicians to call for violence against white people, while prosecuting marginal white citizens for racial insults against black people.

Madlingozi and his team pointed to recent incidents: a substitute teacher at Table View High allegedly using a racial slur, a mock “slave auction” held at Pinelands High School, and accusations of racist gestures at a school sporting event. In each case, the SAHRC has actively monitored school investigations to ensure a “real” response rather than isolated disciplinary action. SAHRC Western Cape Manager Zena Nair stated that such incidents would be taken seriously, while WCED spokesperson Bronagh Hammond noted that many schools had long addressed issues of prejudice independently.

Yet as the SAHRC presses on, critics question the Commission’s approach, suggesting it risks deepening racial divides by selectively targeting certain communities. Such initiatives may, in the end, reinforce rather than resolve South Africa’s enduring racial tensions.

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