A disheartening case has come to light from South Africa where a school teacher is accused of committing a Hinduphobia act and forcefully removing the Kalawa, a religious thread, from the wrist of a Hindu student, leading to widespread condemnation from Hindu community members. As per reports, the incident occurred last week at Drakensburg Secondary School in the KwaZulu-Natal province.
The South African Hindu Maha Sabha (SAHMS) has called upon the education authorities to take immediate action against the accused teacher for removing the sacred thread.
“The SAHMS strongly condemns the insensitive and irresponsible action of an educator cutting off a religious string from a Hindu learner,” the organisation stated in a press release on Sunday.
The organisation is investigating the matter, but the student has refused to come forward due to fear of further victimisation.
SAHMS President Ashwin Trikamjee said he spoke to the school principal and the governing body’s chairman. Both are Hindus and denied any religious discrimination at the school. However, they have not provided any official statement regarding the incident.
“They were very defensive about not allowing any religious discrimination at their school, both declaring that they themselves had rings and strings on their hands,” Trikamjee said in an interview with national Indian radio station Lotus FM.
Trikamjee also referred to a previous case where South Africa’s Constitutional Court ruled in favour of a Hindu student who was barred from wearing a nose ring at school. The court had ruled that no one should be deprived of their right to practice cultural or religious customs.
Sources have indicated that the incident has sparked inter-religious tensions in the area. The Consitution of South Africa guarantees religious freedom and prohibits discrimination based on religion.
The government has set up bodies such as the Human Rights Commission and the Cultural, Religious, and Language (CRL) Rights Commission to address such issues. These organisations handle complaints related to religious discrimination.
Trikamjee blamed the education ministry for failing to issue clear guidelines on religious and cultural tolerance in schools. He said the lack of clarity has left schools uncertain about what is acceptable.
Muzi Mahlambi, a KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education spokesperson, disagreed with this view. He stated that the Constitution is the highest law in the country and that no school policy can override it.
“The Department of Education emphasises that any school policy that contradicts the Constitution is unacceptable,” Mahlambi was quoted as saying by the radio station. He added that schools have been instructed to review their codes of conduct to ensure they align with constitutional rights. He also stated that no student should face punishment for their religious beliefs.
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Indian-origin South African CRL Commissioner Raj Govender encouraged affected individuals to approach the commission if their religious rights have been violated.
“As a Commissioner of the CRL Commission, I think the school needs to change its policy to accommodate the cultural and religious needs of the minority community,” Govender said.
He also criticised the teacher involved, stating that educators must remain neutral and respect all religious practices.
“If she (the teacher) has done what is alleged, she has seriously violated her role. She has diverted from her real role as an educator,” Govender said.
The incident has raised concerns about religious tolerance in South African schools. Many community members are now calling for stricter enforcement of policies that protect students’ religious and cultural rights.
Authorities are expected to investigate further to determine the facts surrounding the case and take necessary action if required.
