Durban Girls College's road to transformation: addressing racism allegations
Durban Girls' College has taken steps in terms of a transformation plan after racism allegations were made some years ago.
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Durban Girls' College has implemented numerous reforms to address allegations of racism that had previously impacted the school.
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 sub-committee on transformation, inclusivity, and diversity.
The mandate of that committee was to drive transformation at the school, and some of the things they have done include developing a transformation process and monitoring overall progress. Educators had been receiving gifts from parents that they were not declaring, and a policy has now been developed to monitor this. They have also developed the Silalele Helpline, where issues can be raised anonymously.
He mentioned that the reports received indicate that this helpline has done wonders because they now understand the essence of what these girls have gone through.
“The proof of the pudding is in the eating. We have decided to set up a monitoring and evaluation team to oversee all these corrective measures detailed by the school.
“They will engage with the chairperson of the transformation leadership, the leadership of the learners, and educator representatives. They should meet with the transformation consultant, Mr Khumalo, to discuss what the school has been going through.”
A member of the Education Portfolio Committee, Sakhile Mngadi, raised concerns about the focus on the school, adding that the department should not allow itself to be sidetracked, saying there are several schools with serious problems that should be tackled. “We have more pressing issues to deal with.”
In a statement, the Durban Girls’ College Executive and Board of Governors said a significant amount of work has been undertaken, resulting in several key milestones:
Board of Governors: The board has evolved to reflect professional expertise and diversity. Board members actively contribute, using their individual professional expertise to strategically guide the school. The board members, nominated by the board, Parents’ Association, and Alumni Association, are appointed by majority vote and serve pro bono.
Strengthening the Alumni Association: The DGC Alumni Association has been strengthened to be more inclusive and representative. It actively fosters connections with current pupils, hosts networking events, and supports fundraising initiatives. It also maintains important long-standing community projects such as the upliftment of the Enkuliso and Ekujabuleni nursery schools, which have been supported by alumni for over 80 years.
Sakhizwe Transformation & Inclusion Committee: This committee includes staff, pupils, board members, and alumni, ensuring that all stakeholders have a voice and feel a sense of belonging within the school.
Wellness and Strategic Direction: Recognising wellness as the foremost challenge in education globally, DGC has prioritised a strategic focus on the well-being of pupils and staff. They will be appointing a Head of Wellness to oversee initiatives that support emotional, social, and psychological health. Insights from ‘Wellness and Belonging’ research with pupils guide these efforts, reflecting the views and needs of the community.
Increased isiZulu Classes: While isiZulu has long been part of the DGC curriculum, the classes have doubled in response to the increasing demand for the subject.
“While transformation is an ongoing journey, we are confident in the meaningful progress achieved to date,” the statement concluded.