Teacher In South Africa Cuts Off Religious Thread From Hindu Student's Wrist, Community Demands Action

A South African teacher allegedly cut a Hindu student's religious thread, sparking outrage. Legal experts cite past court rulings supporting religious rights in schools.

Johannesburg: A teacher in South Africa allegedly cut off a religious thread from the wrist of a Hindu student, triggering condemnation from the community members for the "insensitive and irresponsible" action. The incident took place last week at Drakensburg Secondary School in KwaZulu-Natal province.

The South African Hindu Maha Sabha (SAHMS) has called for action by education authorities after the teacher allegedly cut off the sacred thread from the wrist of the Hindu student, claiming that the school does not allow wearing cultural or religious symbols.

“The SAHMS strongly condemns the insensitive and irresponsible action of an educator cutting off a religious string from a Hindu learner,” the organisation said in a press statement on Sunday.

The organisation said it is investigating the alleged incident of religious intolerance at the school but the probe is being hampered as the victim is refusing to come forward for fear of further victimisation.

SAHSM president Ashwin Trikamjee said both the principal and the chairman of the school’s governing body told him during a telephonic discussion that they were Hindus.

“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, but we have not had anything officially in writing yet,” He said in an interview with national Indian radio station Lotus FM.

Trikamjee recalled an earlier instance when South Africa's highest judicial authority, the Constitutional Court, had ruled in favour of a Hindu student who was debarred from wearing her nose ring by her school. The court had noted that nobody could be deprived of exercising their cultural or religious practices.

According to sources, the incident has sparked inter-religious conflict in the area as well.

The South African Charter of Religious Rights and Freedoms in the Constitution prohibits unfair discrimination on various grounds, including religion. The government has established the statutory Human Rights Commission and the Cultural, Religious and Language (CRL) Rights Commission to act on any complaints related to discriminatory practices.

Trikamjee blamed the education ministry for failing to provide schools with clear and concise guidelines on promoting religious and cultural tolerance, leaving them uncertain about what is acceptable and what is not.

However, Muzi Mahlambi, spokesman for the provincial Department of Education in KwaZulu-Natal, where over two-thirds of South Africa’s Indian-origin citizens live, disagrees.

The Department of Education emphasises that the Constitution is the highest law of the land, and any school policy that contradicts it is unacceptable, Mahlambi was quoted as saying by the radio station.

Mahlambi said the department has instructed the schools to review and revise their codes of conduct and policies to ensure they align with the Constitution. No student should face punishment for their religious affiliation.

Indian-origin South African CRL Commissioner Raj Govender said if anybody’s religious rights have been violated, they can approach the organisation.

"As a Commissioner of the CRL Commission, I think the school needs to change its policy to accommodate cultural and religious needs of the minority community," he said.

Referring to the incident of the alleged racial discrimination at the Drakensburg Secondary School, Govender said teachers should remain very neutral. “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,” he said.