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Summary: A schoolboy has won a case against his school which banned him from attending lessons because he wears dreadlocks.
[16 January 2012] - The newly appointed Bulawayo high court judge, Justice Martin Makonese has ordered the headmaster of Masiyephambili junior school in Bulawayo and the Minister of Education , Sports and Culture to enrol for lessons a four –year-old child who had been barred from attending lessons at the school because he wears dreadlocks. The headmaster only identified as R Sibanda on Tuesday barred Mbalenhle Dube from attending Grade Zero lessons at the school because of his hairstyle. Mbalenhle was admitted by the school for the 2012 Grade Zero class and his father Khumbulani Dube paid the necessary school fees, and purchased uniforms and books in preparation for his son’s studies. But Dube whose son and family belong to the Rastafarian religion made an urgent high court application compelling the headmaster to allow his son to attend lessons. In his ruling delivered on Friday, Justice Makonese said there is no lawful basis for the respondents to interfere with the minor child’s right to education based on his long hair that expresses his religious beliefs. “The verbal communication by first and second respondents directing that the minor’s hair be cut be declared to be null and void and of no legal consequences. The respondents... are hereby perpetually interdicted from interfering in any way with the child‘s access to education on the basis of his long hair,” said Justice Makonese in his judgement delivered in his chambers. Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) lawyer Lizwe Jamela represented Dube while Sibanda and the minister were represented by a lawyer from Calderhood, Bryce Hendrie and Partners. Further Information: