Land Service apologises for drag show punishment
12.08.2022 - 18:25
/ mambaonline.com
Hoërskool Rustenburg in North West punished a learner because she attended a drag show (Photo: Facebook)
Land Service says it regrets that a matric pupil was told that she could no longer be a leader in the youth organisation because she was guilty of “immorality” for attended a drag show.
On 23 July, Desiré Duvenage was informed by a Hoërskool Rustenburg teacher that she’d been stripped of her role as chairperson of the high school’s Land Service management team. This was because teachers had become aware of a social media video of her celebrating her 18th birthday in January at the drag show.
After MambaOnline’s report of Duvenage’s story went viral, the Hoërskool Rustenburg school governing body (SGB) did a U-turn and confirmed it had withdrawn all sanctions against her. The SGB also acknowledged that proper procedures had not been followed in the matter.
On Wednesday, Land Service finally chose to add its voice in responding to the embarrassing furore in a letter sent to Duvenage and Mambaonline.
In it, the organisation’s National Chairperson, Tonie Botha admitted that the incident had “led to very negative reactions and responses towards Land Service on social media platforms.”
Botha told the young woman that Land Service was “never officially involved in any disciplinary procedures, processes and sanctions that were instated against you.” He added that “We sincerely regret the fact that your leadership position within Land Service at your school was negatively affected hereby.”
Botha, however, did not directly address the formal letter emailed to Duvenage’s godmother on 26 July from Elise Kleynhans, Chairperson of the Land Service North West chapter.
In it, Kleynhans said that Duvenage’s “unacceptable” actions were