The prestigious Selborne College in East London is at the centre of a social media storm because of the cover art of an invitation to parents for the matric year end function.
The picture is of two dogs walking like humans carrying a school blazer.
It is a re-imagining of the iconic picture of Hector Pieterson being carried by Mbuyisa Makhubu and his sister Antoinette after being shot by police in 1976.
The drawing received widespread condemnation.
Much of the anger directed at the boys’ school itself.
The commentators all feel it shows gross insensitivity to South Africa’s painful past.
The school’s governing body issued a statement, apologising unreservedly for the drawing.
It says it recognises the offence and hurt the image caused, but nobody from the SGB or the principal wanted to comment on camera.
The learner who drew the picture also comments in the statement.
He says he was commissioned to do an artwork that expressed loss, grief and sadness that the matrics at the time could relate to and he saw the photo as the perfect image to express the pain and loss matrics were feeling at leaving the school.
He then says he intended to adapt the photo into a Selborne based artwork so to remove any connection to the past and dog characters relate to Selborne’s official symbol the Greyhound.
He says no racism or prejudice was meant and apologises for any misunderstanding caused.
The school does not name the artist.
