Fire Pandor over video - Sasco

2008-03-01 21:14

Johannesburg - Education Minister Naledi Pandor on Saturday urged the Free State university to act firmly against makers of a racist video while a students' organisation laid blame for the incident squarely on her shoulders.

"Now enough is enough, she must be fired, the Vice-Chancellor of UFS and entire executive must be fired and the students must be banned from studying in any university for an extended period of time and the law must take its course," said South African Students' Congress (Sasco) president David Maimela.

The congress accused the minister of refusing to implement "without reason" its recommendation for an inquiry into racism at South African universities.

A video made last year by students from the Reitz men's residence at the University of the Free State, (UFS) depicts a mock initiation of five black staff members into hostel activities and refers openly to the university's diversity policy.

The video features black university employees on their knees eating food which apparently had been urinated on by white students.

'Mockery' of apartheid struggle

Meanwhile, Pandor has welcomed UFS Rector Frederick Fourie's "commitment to make the University of Free State a non-racial institution", said spokesperson Lunga Ngqengelele.

The Pan Africanist Youth Congress (PAYC) on Saturday added to the avalanche of condemnation the video had received saying it was a mockery of the struggle against apartheid.

"Incidents like these have become a norm in the so called 'New' South Africa and yet we talk of our hard won 'freedom'.

"The prevalence of these acts makes a mockery of the struggle against apartheid settler Colonialism," said PAYC president Hulisani Mmbara.

"The University must expel these hooligans to send an unequivocal message that the UFS does not in any way promote racism - this (is) a dehumanising, insulting and vitriolic attack on the dignity of African people," he said.

Still police on campus

Police had on Friday opened an investigation of crimen injuria into the video.

"There are still police officials deployed on the campus but there have been no incidents," said police spokesperson Annalie Wrensch on Saturday.

Sasco has organised a "solidarity-protest" march against racism at universities.

This would take place on March 6, starting at Tshwane City hall and ending at Pandor's offices.

- SAPA