Calls grow to rethink racial identification in school application forms

Concerns over race classification in school application forms have reignited debate about identity, inequality and redress in South Africa more than 30 years into democracy.

The issue was recently raised on CapeTalk by a Cape Town mother who questioned why parents are still required to place their children into rigid race categories when applying through the Western Cape Education Department.

RELATED: Mixed-race families say WCED school forms don't reflect modern South Africa

The forms classify children as Black African, Indian/Asian, White and Coloured, with no option for mixed or blended identities.

Mixed families feel excluded

The concern reflects a broader reality: a growing number of South African households are mixed. In the Western Cape, that figure is estimated to be as high as 17%.

Parents say the lack of inclusive options can be confusing and harmful for children navigating their identity.

One parent described the experience as limiting, saying children from mixed backgrounds can feel ‘stuck in between’ categories that don’t fully reflect who they are.

“It’s always been important for me to explain… you are mixed or biracial and there’s nothing wrong with that,” she said.

Why race classification still exists

Race classification remains embedded in many systems, largely to measure inequality and guide redress policies.

But this justification is increasingly being questioned.

The author of Race, Ryland Fisher, said race-based categorisation predates democracy and continues to present a dilemma.

“You don’t really want to tick the boxes because you don’t really believe in the race thing, but you feel compelled to do it,” he said.

Rethinking redress and inequality

Fisher argued that using race as a primary tool for redress may no longer be effective.

“If you want to redress, you mustn’t do it based on race. You must do it on the basis of economic exclusion,” he said.

He added that race-based systems risk benefiting individuals who were not economically disadvantaged, while failing to fully address inequality.

Calls for a more inclusive system

There are growing calls for education authorities to rethink how they collect demographic data.

Suggestions include adding more categories or moving toward entirely different measures of inequality that better reflect modern South African society.

“I think there’s probably a need to add maybe a couple of other boxes because of the complexity of the issue,” Fisher said.

The debate highlights a deeper question: whether South Africa’s systems have kept pace with a society that has become more diverse, more blended and less easily defined by race.

For more details, listen to Fisher on CapeTalk’s Good Morning Cape Town with Lester Kiewit using the audio player below: