Deaf students lodge a complaint against PCD College at the South African Human Rights Commission. Picture: Google Maps Street View.
The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) is investigating PCD College in Montana, Pretoria, following allegations of racism, discrimination, and unfair labour practice that Deaf employed electrical learnership students are apparently subjected to by their white superiors.
Gauteng Human Rights Provincial Manager, Zamantungwa Mbeki said, “The matter has been reported to the South African Human Rights Commission and it is under investigation.”
The probe follows a complaint lodged by Deaf electrical students and investigations by the Diary Series of Deaf People on these allegations.
It is understood that some of the students are Deaf-partially-blind. Although, they use South African Sign Language to communicate, others can lip-read. They are between the ages of 20 and above 40. Among them are parents and others are pregnant. Some are apprentices from different companies, including Afrox Linde Group who pay for their stipends and four-year training at the college.
Although, they are electrical students, they alleged that they mostly do work that is not in line with their learnership programme as they help farmers to plant trees and vegetables, wash cars and pick up papers. This includes picking up papers at the plot that is owned by the director of PCD College, Christo Buchling.
Speaking to the Diary Series of Deaf People, the Deaf students alleged:
The students said this was hurtful as slowness is part of their disability.
For fear of intimidation, the students asked this publication to not publish their names.
The students alleged that they start work at 7am and sometimes knock off at 6pm as a form of punishment from the supervisor. They said knocking off late endangers their lives as others are Deaf-partially-blind and cannot see clearly when it is dark.
“We are facing a harsh time as Deaf students. The sites where we mostly work at, is the plot where the boss lives. We start work at 7am. We are not allowed to use the microwave, charge our phones, pour warm water for tea in this winter season. We hardly bring our own cooked meals because the food gets cold. We have to sit in a cold place outside as we are not allowed to sit at resting pool chairs. We are told to sit on grass. Some of the students are pregnant and they cannot warm up their food,” said a student.
Another student said, “The hurtful thing is that we work under our supervisor who treats us like we are nothing. We wash cars, work at the farm, clean toilets even without protection gloves and masks. We pick up papers the whole day.”
Facilitators said:
They allegedly reported the matter to their sponsor, Afrox Linde in writing but apparently nothing was done. Out of frustration, they posted a video on social media as a cry out for help, but later removed it.
In the video the students alleged that they are not allowed to sit on the chairs near the swimming pool, on couches, or to use the microwave and the kitchen to warm up their food. They expressed that although they are not allowed to use the facilities, white students utilises them.
In the same video, they bemoaned that they sit on the grass when they are eating. They also sit on the grass when it is raining or when the grass is sprinkled with water, even when it is cold. They mentioned in the video that their food gets infested with ants as they do not have lockers to keep their bags and food. Therefore, they place them on the ground, they explained in the video.
Afrox Linde said they will respond to our media enquiry on 25 June.
“We were told that only students living at the college can sit on the chairs. If we do not listen, we are given a warning,” they informed this publication.
They added:
Approached for comment on 17 June, Buchling dismissed the allegations and said, “I got a complaint and then I sent it…The company that got it, sent an external person. The external person did verification on it. Thuthukisa hired a lawyer. It is an external company that they use for disputes or anything like that. We do not do internal investigations because if I do it internally, it is bias. They came, and that company said nothing wrong was found. They have released a report, and nothing was found wrong. I have the report.”
Asked whether the Deaf students sit on wet grass and when it is raining, Buchling said students work on construction sites, therefore they cannot use chairs and benches as such privileges are for the students living at the college. But the students said they were initially allowed to use the facilities, but this was stopped by the college.
Probed about the issue of the ants, Buchling said the matter is under investigation.
Buchling said:
Questions were sent to Buchling in writing, however he urged this publication to visit the college to view where the students do their practicals. However, on arrival on 18 June, outsourced journalists from Scrolla.Africa and a photographer from Pico Productions were not taken to the plot where the Deaf students said they mostly face harsh treatment. This publication later discovered the plot in question is Buchling’s home. Buchling had brought in Thuthukisa’s directors, Paulos Mahlangu and Peggy Chetty in the interview with outsourced reporters.
Contrary to his statement that Thuthukisa had hired an external investigator, Buchling, informed the outsourced reporters that the students did not report the allegations in writing.
Buchling said:
Contradicting Buchling’s statement a Deaf student said, “When we laid our grievances a woman called, Louis interviewed each of us about our grievances, but we are still not allowed to use anything at the plot.”
Joshua declined to comment on the allegations stating, “You have already spoken to the management, and it is under investigation. I cannot comment while it is under investigation.”
Mahlangu said the students often become troublesome when it is the end of their course.
“Some learners choose to fail a trade test on purpose. They pass everything and fail two modules, hoping they are going to extend the contract by another month or two so that they keep earning for a month or two. Some learners become a bit destructive at that time,” said Mahlangu.
But the students dismissed Mahlangu’s allegations saying, “It is not right what he has said, we do not fail on purpose. Some of us as Deaf students, we are not fast learners. To be honest, we are slow learners, but we want to complete and get our certificates.”
Mahlangu added, “Most of our programs, in particular for people with disabilities, there are fights in the first six months. It is serious fights. I know you have disability, but you are a plumber, you need to dig a trench, how are you going to get the pipe there, no one is going to do it for you. We need to do housekeeping everyone does housekeeping. I know you have a disability. No one can do it for you.”
The Deaf students said they are not plumbers, but their course is an electrical course.
Mahlangu said housekeeping is a fundamental part of the students training and that, “One of the biggest fights with the trades person is cleaning, reporting and doing the work, and that is the biggest thing.”
The students said they are instructed to wash cars until they allegedly look brand-new.
“If they say the car is not clean enough, we won’t be able to go home. They can postpone the knock off time. The cars need to be clean like they are brand-new,” said the students.
Buchling said:
The General Secretary of the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union (SADTU), Mugwena Maluleke urged the students to cooperate with the SAHRC.
Mugwena said:
Cosatu spokesperson Matthew Parks said, “These allegations are extremely disturbing. It is critical the Department of Higher Education intervenes to ensure these abuses are immediately stopped and the guilty parties held fully accountable. We will be engaging the Department with our affiliate SADTU to ensure this happens.”
The CEO of the Neema Foundation for the Deaf, Fatima Cele said, the institution has to be more sensitive as they are students with disability.
Story updated with Buchling’s comment about ants’ infestation on students’ food.
Listen to the audios responses by Christo Buchling of PCD College and Paulos Mahlangu and Peggy Chetty from Thuthukisa. Responses in the audios are acquired by Doreen Mokgolo from Scrolla.Africa on behalf of Diary Series of Deaf People.
