Group defends Afrikaans, Christian students at Stellenbosch University

A NEW pressure group, Stellenbosch Staan Op (STOP), has been established to challenge alleged racism and injustices against Afrikaans and Christian students at Stellenbosch University.

This comes amid a push by the institution to implement a transformation agenda and address racism.

During the apartheid era, the university was regarded as a bastion of Afrikaner power.

STOP said the university’s transformation policies were “leading to racial targeting and discrimination” against minority groups.

“STOP received reports from students complaining that they get shamed for speaking Afrikaans and have to suffer racial slurs regularly. They are afraid to speak out as it has become clear that they will suffer discrimination and/or intimidation,” said the organisation in response to queries.

The group cited the suspension of two female students in 2016 for painting their faces in a “black face” incident.

It was deemed racially offensive while one of the students at the centre of the incident said they had actually painted themselves purple for a house-warming party.

STOP said the recent urination incident involving Theuns du Toit was used by the university to “intimidate ” other students.

Du Toit was found guilty and expelled from the university after he was filmed urinating on the belongings of a fellow student, Babalo Ndwayana.

On its Facebook page the group said “certain groups” were being “victimised” as part of the university’s “ideology of transformation and inclusiveness”.

The group invited like-minded people to help it fight for the “restoration of the ethos and character of this once excellent institution”.

University spokesperson Martin Viljoen said while the institution respected freedom of speech and the right to free association, proper processes were followed in the Du Toit case.

“The university feels strongly that the just course of the law and regulations must always be followed to protect the interests and rights of both victims and alleged perpetrators.

“The findings in this case and the transgression of the various clauses of the student disciplinary code led the Central Disciplinary Committee to conclude that there is no alternative but to expel Mr Du Toit with immediate effect from the university,” said Viljoen.

Du Toit has appealed.

The university said it had strengthened existing and implemented new comprehensive measures to combat discrimination, prejudice and violence on campus.

In response to alleged incidents of racism the university set up an external independent commission of inquiry, headed by Justice Sisi Khampepe.

Recently the university and the South African Human Rights Commission launched separate investigations into claims that the use of Afrikaans was “banned” in some parts of the institution.

The DA also launched a petition to end the “war” against the language.

In 2021 the university approved a language policy that embraced multilingualism as a means to promote inclusivity and diversity, and recognising the use of Afrikaans, English and isiXhosa on campus.

In an opinion piece academic Dr Simthembile Xeketwana questioned whether the furore over Afrikaans was about language as a tool of learning or about advancing certain political agendas.

He made reference to the formation of #OpenStellenbosch in 2015 which challenged the hegemony of white Afrikaans culture and the exclusion of black students and staff at the university.

“It is a pity that when people are being asked to be inclusive and accommodate those who don't understand Afrikaans, some view it as an attack on Afrikaans speakers,” he wrote.