A CAPE Town school’s reaction to a pupil wearing dreadlocks has drawn an outcry from his family and residents.
They accused the Khulani Secondary School principal of acting unconstitutionally when he allegedly hit grade 8 pupil Thando Nkolonga (14) with a plastic pipe and chased him home last week.
Mum Nomhle Nkolonga (50) said: “Thando insists on being Rastafarian and I can’t turn him from what he believes.
“I just wish he would try to stick to the school rules because it’s obvious dreadlocks are not acceptable at the school.”
The pupil pitched up at school last Monday with a new hairstyle, curled and pushed back to symbolise Rastafarian dreadlocks. “My teacher chased me from class and the principal hit me with a plastic pipe and told me to go home, comb my hair and to bring a parent.”
Nomhle said: “School management warned they would not accept him until he combed out his hair.”
Rastafarian neighbour Elijah Tafari (30) said the principal gave him and other neighbours a rude welcome when they approached the school. “We believe there are more important issues than dreadlocks, like vandalism of school property. ”
Education spokeswoman Jessica Shelver said corporal punishment was illegal and they would investigate the case as a priority. She added in terms of the Schools Act, SGBs could decide on dress codes, including hairstyles. “When parents enrol children they must abide by the school’s code of conduct. Where dreadlocks are about religion, the school can work with mediators to allow for it. Schools may ask parents to submit a letter from a religious teacher or organisation to confirm a request to deviate from the dress code.”
