Director of PCD College in Pretoria, Christo Buchling says “chicken run” is not a racist term. Picture: Google Maps Street View.
Students with different disabilities from PCD College in Montana, Pretoria said they have been belittled by their supervisor who uses words such as “chicken run” when ordering them to collect papers at a plot owned by one of the college directors.
The students said the term “chicken run” is demeaning and derogatory. They are electrical learnership students on a four-year program and sponsored by different companies, including Afrox Linde Group. They said collecting papers at the plot where the home of Christo Buchling is located, was not part of the electrical curriculum.
For fear of intimidation, the students have asked this publication to not publish their names.
A hearing student with disability said, “He [Joshua] sometimes make us to do the chicken run the whole day from 7am to 4pm. We do the chicken run if we have nothing to do for the day. When we refuse, he tells our boss, Christo [Buchling].”
Another hearing student with disability said:
Similarly to the Deaf students, the students with different disabilities alleged that they suffer unfair labour practice, discrimination and racism at the hands of their supervisor, Joshua. They bemoaned that Buchling has not done anything to prevent the alleged unfair treatment. Although the Deaf and hearing students with different disabilities were interviewed separately on different days, they echoed each others’ allegations.
Deaf students confirmed allegations made by hearing students with different disabilities that they collect papers “the whole day” when they do not have work to do.
Although the students with different disabilities said the term “chicken run” was derogatory, Buchling said “the students came up with the lingo.” But the students dismissed that, charging, “how can we come up with such a word.”
Unpacking the term “chicken run” Buchling said:
The students are also not happy that they have to wash cars, “We are made to wash cars. When we wash a car and the supervisor feels that it is not spotless, he will make us to wash it six times.”
In response to washing of cars six times, Buchling said it should be done until the students get it right.
Buchling said:
Listen to Buchling explaining the term chicken run. Responses in the audios are acquired by Doreen Mokgolo from Scrolla.Africa on behalf of Diary Series of Deaf People.
