DA leader Mmusi Maimane has defended the party’s federal youth leader, Luyolo Mphithi’s statement following the photograph of black and white learners seated separately in a class at the Laerskool Schweizer-Reneke in North West.
Last week, trade union Solidarity’s CEO Dirk Hermann called on Maimane to reprimand Mphithi for allegedly defaming Elana Barkhuizen – the teacher who was suspended for taking the photographs.
Hermann accused Mphithi of revealing Barkhuizen’s identity despite threats of violent protests and implying that a single photo taken at one moment during the day was racist regardless of other photo’s showing the children interacting with each other.
NOTE: Looks like the viral pic yesterday of black kids being seated away from white kids DID NOT tell the whole story.
The pic was taken at a specific moment and out of context because the kids rotated in groups throughout the period.
More pics below give context pic.twitter.com/Nvo1e2yAcA
— Phil Mphela (@PhilMphela) January 10, 2019
The youth leader later condemned the posting of the photograph after visiting the school.
Maimane says Mphithi has been unfairly targeted for populist gain.
