Learners from Sans Souci Girls’ High School in Cape Town have made a request for management to take action against allegations of sexual harassment, a dictatorial system and body shaming.
According to reports by Radio 786, the Western Cape Department of Education (WCED) will be meeting with the principal and relevant student leaders on Thursday, February 25 to address the concerns.
Part of the matric class also decided not to attend school on Wednesday morning after a student felt she was being body shamed for wearing “inappropriate attire” on a casual clothing day.
Spokesperson for the WCED Bronagh Hammond has denied that the school has not addressed claims of sexual harassment after a former pupil informed the media that the allegations are not new and that “the school will deny everything”.
“The school had written to parents the week before asking that pupils wear appropriate clothing on days when ‘civvies’ are allowed – no short skirts, crop tops, etc,” said Hammond.
She added that a list of grievances was compiled in 2020 and that Sans Souci’s principal has asked that the complainants add new issues to the list.
“During our time at the school, we suffered the same. What the pupils did now is what has been going on for a very long time, and I am glad that it came to the media’s attention,” the former student said to the Cape Times. “Knowing the school very well, they will deny everything. Some students have horrific stories to tell about the school.”
In 2016, the school was also in the news as unrest broke out after several black students said its rules did not accommodate their natural hair and that they were not allowed to speak their home languages.