Gauteng parents warned ahead of “Anti-Racism” week, 14–21 March 2026

“Anti-Racism” Week is scheduled to take place from 14–21 March 2026 in South Africa. During this period, the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation will mark the week under the theme, “Inclusive Always, Racism Never.”

According to its promotional material, schools and youth groups in Gauteng are invited to participate by hosting an “Assembly Against Racism.”

Teresa Oakley-Smith, who runs a consulting firm focusing on anti-racism training in schools, commented on the initiative, stating: “Anti-racism Week should be every week.”

While an anti-racism week in Gauteng schools may sound positive, some parents and commentators have raised concerns about the consequences of such programmes.

Richard Wilkinson, responding to the initiative, questioned whether some foundations involved in similar programmes are politically aligned and whether their educational materials promote particular ideological viewpoints. He said, “We need to talk about how ANC-aligned foundations try to indoctrinate and radicalise school children to be Marxist activists.”

This is also the same Ahmed Kathrada Foundation that, at one of its “anti-racism” conferences, hosted discussions about the so-called “solution” to the problem of white conservatives, which included talk of killing.

The “Anti-Racism” week reminds me of the incident at Fish Hoek High School, where learners were subjected to racial lectures. At this festival run by the WCED, learners were told that white people are the only ones who can be racist, that black people cannot be racist, and that Christianity is linked to white patriarchal oppression.

Learners found the session distressing, and recordings made by learners suggested that several were shocked and emotional. A staff member who intervened during the session to stop it, after becoming aware that learners were upset, later faced disciplinary action for “disrupting” the event and was asked to resign. One mother I spoke to said that her daughter left in tears after being “traumatized” by the training.

If your school plans to hold any “Anti-Racism” events in March, you can contact Richard at [email protected].