'Black Hand was never racist'

2003-05-21 10:48

Thinus Ferreira

Cape Town - Although the University of Stellenbosch hasn't been able to find proof of the existence of the "Black Hand" on campus, Die Burger interviewed a man on Tuesday who said he founded the group.

The man, who asked to remain anonymous, said the group was formed in 1994 while he was still a student at the university.

He distanced himself from a racist, threatening letter, which contained white powder, which was sent to vice-rector Professor Russel Botman on Thursday. The "Black Hand" is mentioned in the letter.

The man said the "Black Hand" had "absolutely nothing" to do with the threatening letter sent to Botman.

The "Black Hand" group was founded in 1994 to defuse the rare cases of racial tension and discrimination because of sexual preference in the Helshoogte residence.

"As founder of the 'Black Hand', some of my best friends were coloured and gay. The name comes from a book I read as a child, something like Die Swart Hand van Port Bois.

"It had absolutely nothing to do with the colour of one's skin and was chosen because it sounded good," he said.

Destroyed the red seal himself

"Helshoogte was always a liberal residence - one of the first at which coloured students were welcome and friends were made easily, and also one of the few places where homosexual students were welcome.

"Any notice from the 'Black Hand' was sealed with a red seal, which showed the outline of a hand. I destroyed the ring myself.

"Any notice, which includes the letters to the vice-rector, which didn't have the red seal, didn't come from the 'Black Hand'.

"If there are people who are using this name for their own purposes, it's a pity and I'm deeply embarrassed."

He said the residents' committee and the head of the residence did not know of the existence of the 'Black Hand'.

"I fully support any investigation into vigilante groups, but the main thing to remember is that the group called the 'Black Hand' that I founded, was disbanded years ago."

Kobus Visagie, senior director of corporate affairs at the university, says that although the writer of the threatening letter referred to the 'Black Hand', the letter was not signed by the 'Black Hand'.

It's still not known what the white powder was in the envelope. Results of forensic tests undertaken by Pretoria laboratories are still being awaited.

- Die Burger