While a Grade 12 learner who was kicked out of school for wearing iintsimbi has returned to class, the Traditional Healers Organisation (THO) is appealing for more stringent measures to curb similar cases in the future.
Two weeks ago, a group of learners from Esangweni Secondary School in Kuyasa, Khayelitsha, including Inam Mathokazi (19) was forced out of the school for wearing traditional beads associated with intswaso – a journey to become a traditional healer.
Inam, who according to her family is training to become an isangoma, was left in limbo after not following the school orders while her peers returned to class.
In an interview with City Vision earlier this week, Inam’s mother, Babalwa Mathokazi said the school had instructed her daughter to return to school following a meeting with the school governing body (SGB) on Friday 10 March.
She confirmed that Inam resumed classes on Monday 13 March.
“She is back at school. We are happy now that everything is back to normal,” said Babalwa.
However, the lobby group for traditional health and healers blamed the provincial department of education for “undermining African cultures” and beliefs.
Teteba Stoni, a THO member and a traditional healer from Site B, lambasted the school for its “poor” handling of the matter.
“It is a shame for an African teacher, who is expected to be the one who understands our culture and values better, to behave in this fashion,” he said, accusing the school principal of “looking down” at African beliefs.
“The principal’s job is to preside over the school and not judge other people. Being a sangoma is not a choice but a calling,” said Stoni.
He stated that the schools were open to accommodating learners without prejudice.
Stoni also commented on the behaviour displayed by some of the learners at various schools across the province, last year, where learners fainted. He said they might have witnessed something against their spirits.
“Learners are coming from different families. Some of them are walking with bad spirits, which sometimes they don’t know about. Or maybe one of the teachers has something which the learners saw. Maybe that was one of the two,” explained Stoni. That should not be held against the learners, he cautioned.
Director for communications in the provincial department of education Bronagh Hammond said a school’s Code of Conduct determines the prescribed uniform which must be worn by all learners who enrol at a school.
She said parents seeking an exception to the uniform code would need to apply to the School Governing Body for an exemption.
“This is the case for all religious or cultural requests. The school has reported that an incident described as a traditional calling occurred at the school. An ambulance was called as well as the parents of the learners involved. The parents met with the principal, and the parents agreed that the school rules or school dress code should be abided by and that their children would remove the beads and return to school in the uniform as prescribed,” said Hammond.
She said the SGB also discussed the matter and agreed to inform the school community’s parents and stakeholders.
“A social media post by a person not teaching at the school and with no relationship to the school then made claims about what had occurred. This has caused concern and unhappiness despite the person not having any involvement with the school. We urge members of the public to refrain from spreading unverified allegations with the intention of inciting disruption at a school,” she stated.
Sharing how the whole drama started, Inam told City Vision that the principal invited parents of all the learners with beads and braids to a special meeting last month.
They were informed that they were not accepted at the school.
“On Wednesday 1 March the principal instructed us to leave the school and come back the following day without the beads, which we did.
“But I couldn’t cope. I became sick and had to go home. The principal said that she doesn’t believe that we are really sick. We make ukuthwasa as a fashion,” said Inam, adding there were learners who wore beads.
Inam claimed the principal sent her away on Tuesday 7 March and told her to go back to her sangoma to get proof that states she won’t get sick again.