Any labelling or categorisation of people into groups can be potentially problematic.  The most powerful person of group normally is responsible for the labels hence the labelled person of groups may be advantaged or disadvantaged in this process.  Until 1994 the South African population was simplistically divided in four racial groups, namely white, black, Indian and Coloured.  The 1996 Sotu African Constitution changed this and used 11 official languages, namely Afrikaans, English and nine languages traditionally linked to the black population to identify the groups.  The nine African languages suggested that ethnicity became or may become more important in the individual and group identity of South Africans.

Since the 1994 post apartheid dispensation, all schools are open for any person irrespective of race, language, religion or other specific affinities to register at any school.  Since 1994 most of the former white schools accommodate also large number of black, Coloured and Indian learners while Coloured and Indian schools also accommodate large number black learners.  There was a one way migration of learners towards the former white, Indian and Coloured schools.  There was limited if any migration of white or Coloured learners to the black schools.  In the urban areas there are many language (ethnic) groups in the former black schools.  Hence these schools rather have a language diversity to manage while the white and Coloured schools have to manage language as well as the former racial issues. 

Many of the white and Coloured schools now have a majority black learners while the teachers are still the majority former white and Coloured teachers.  Except for the language and ethnic diversity there is also a significant diversity in academic back ground of especially the black learners as a reminiscent of the apartheid legislation which provided poor education quality to black learners.  The historical socio economic diversity also still exists between the poorer black population and the other racial groups.  The principals in these schools have therefore their own identity but working in new environment and community. 

Anecdotal evidence from principals indicate that they find it difficult to manage the ethnic diversity with all the diverse complexities of poverty, educational support and general live conditions found in one school.  There are indications that principals may prefer to have less diversity because it is too difficult to manage in the performance driven culture.

The research question for the project is: Which problems do principals in ethnic diverse schools experience to provide sustainable quality education to all learners in the school.

The purpose of the research is to determine the attitude and experience of principals towards the political speech or sloganism to embrace diversity in an open democratic society but in a performance driven system.

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