Transformation plan at Durban Girls' College to address racism allegations

THE Durban Girls’ College has implemented numerous reforms to address allegations of racism that had previously impacted the school.

- THAMI MAGUBANE

The school and the Department of Education recently detailed the changes made to address these allegations and to be sensitive to the needs of its diverse constituents.

Mandla Shangase, the department’s acting director of governance and management, briefed the Education Portfolio Committee members on the progress made by the school to date.

This came after the school had come under scrutiny due to allegations of racism, particularly concerning the lack of diversity among management and teachers, who were mostly white and not representative of the school’s ecosystem.

He stated that the allegations of racism at Durban Girls College first emerged in 2020, prompting officials from the department to visit the school. Following this, he said, the school sent a letter acknowledging the existence of institutional racism and committed to addressing the issues.

“The district asked them to submit a report on the corrective measures they had promised. The school submitted a report titled ‘The Journey of Transformation,’ where they detailed the corrective measures taken from 2020 to 2025.

He mentioned that the intervention programme indicated that the school had made changes in the representation on the board of governors. They also established a subcommittee on transformation, inclusivity, and diversity.