Glen Snyman: South African accused of fraud for saying he's 'African'

A South African teacher has been summoned to a disciplinary hearing, accused of fraud, for identifying as "African" in a job application.

Glen Snyman is "coloured" - as people of mixed race have been known since the country was under white-minority rule.

He is the founder of campaign group People Against Race Classification.

He opposes the use of race categories: "black", "coloured", "Indian" and "white" on official documentation, including job-application forms.

These are used to monitor attempts to give extra opportunities to those who faced discrimination under apartheid.

Since 2010 Mr Snyman has been campaigning against the use of the race categories, saying that he regards himself "first and foremost" as a South African.

The news site reports that it has seen the charge sheet from education authorities in the Western Cape accusing Mr Snyman of fraud.

"You committed a common law offence, to wit fraud, by stating on your CV when applying for the principal post at Fezekile Secondary School that you are an African male, whereas in truth your records indicate that you are a coloured male and by doing so gain an advantage for purposes of being shortlisted," the charge said.

Mr Snyman has not commented.

Any employee can change their personnel record, Western Cape provincial education department spokesperson Bronagh Hammond told TimesLive.

But it's unclear how race issues would be handled.