'Blatant lies' in history book

2008-05-13 19:48

Durban - The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) is arranging a series of protests to stop the use of a Grade 12 history book it describes as "biased propaganda... poisoning the minds of children".

National protest organiser Albert Mncwango said on Tuesday that the book titled In Search of History is currently being used by schools throughout South Africa.

"The IFP is protesting viciously (about) biased propaganda masquerading as Grade 12 history," he said in a statement.

"This Grade 12 history book, which is being used in some schools as a prescribed work, tells blatant lies and deliberately distorts facts about the role of the IFP and the contribution made by its leader, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi," he added.

He said protests would start in KwaZulu-Natal on Wednesday.

"We cannot allow our children to be poisoned with this... abominable propaganda and the deliberate twisting of history to distort who did what, when and where."

He stressed that schools should be places of learning and "not propaganda incubators where learners are brainwashed".

Two protests are scheduled to take place on Wednesday in Empangeni and Port Shepstone where a memorandum is expected to be handed over to representatives of Education Minister Naledi Pandor.

- SAPA