- It is alleged that a racist altercation ensued between a teacher and a pupil.
- The teacher also allegedly called pupils "baboons".
- Disciplinary processes are being finalised, according to the education department.
The teacher accused of racism at Northriding Secondary School has been suspended, the Gauteng education department said on Friday.
Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi welcomed the teacher's immediate suspension after an alleged racist incident at the school this week.
Lesufi visited the school on Wednesday following reports of the incident.
"As a department, we are extremely disappointed about this incident - racism will never be tolerated in our schools.
"Educators must always teach and guide learners, not fight them," Lesufi said.
The school's governing body suspended the teacher with immediate effect, while disciplinary processes were being finalised, Lesufi added.
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According to the department's spokesperson, Steve Mabona, initial investigations indicated there had been an altercation between a Grade 8 pupil and an Afrikaans teacher.
The teacher allegedly sprayed sanitiser at the pupil.
The pupil left the class to report the matter.
"The violence stopped only after the intervention of the other teacher," the department said.
It added that the same teacher was also involved in another altercation during another period. She started allegedly swearing at the pupils, calling them "baboons, drug dealers and k*****s".
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Her colleagues, the Representative Council of Learners (RCL) and the school principal intervened, and the situation was reportedly brought under control.
The teacher was suspended after the SGB was informed of the incident.
Mabona said the psycho-social team visited the school on Friday to offer support to everyone affected by the incident.