On June18, Basic Education Minister, Angie Motshekga questioned Equal Education’s interest in the education of African children as she accused the group of being disingenuous.

According to the Mail and Guardian, Motshekga’s department spokesperson called the non-governmental organisation’s court appearance a “gimmick” and on Tuesday Motshekga said that “to suddenly see a group of white adults organising black African children with half-truths can only be opportunistic, patronising and simply dishonest to say the least”.

Yoliswa Dwane, Equal Education chairperson said Motshekga should distance herself from these statements as they are view as racist.  The non-governmental organisation also said it was shocked and disappointed by Motshekga’s comments.

According to Dware “Equal Education consist of people of every background and [they] are very proud of this. Any person who commits [themselves] to advancing the daily struggles of poor and working class youth is welcomed in Equal Education”.

In the last few days Equal Education has mobilised school children in Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg and Pretoria in order to participate in marching which demands Motshekga publish the norms and standards and for safer and better resourced schools.

Basic education spokesperson, Punyaza Lesufi said the department would appear in court if it received a notice after a grade 11 pupil from Eastern Cape took Motshekaga, the Eastern Cape’s Education Minister, her school principal and school governing body to the Bhisho Magistrate’s court on the conditions of her school.

The matter was postposed to October 22.

For more on the matter: http://mg.co.za/article/2013-06-19-basic-education-lashes-out-at-equal-educations-white-adults