Johannesburg - The North West University's council must reject a report into an alleged Nazi-style initiation ceremony, AfriForum Youth said on Wednesday.
“The report clearly discriminates against all Afrikaners and may even constitute hate speech,” national chairman Henk Maree said in a statement.
“Should this request be denied, we will look into the possibility to hold council accountable in terms of the Equality Act.”
He said AfriForum Youth had asked its legal team to send a letter to the council with its request.
Earlier this month, the council said it had received the report and it needed more time to study its content and recommendations.
The report follows an investigation into alleged Nazi-style stiff-arm salutes first-year students made during an initiation ceremony at the Potchefstroom campus in February.
The report would be finalised and handed to Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande, who asked for the initial investigation.
The team who compiled the report investigated possible “cultural, induction, orientation, initiation and demeaning practices, including acts of fascism and nazism, that seemed to exist at the Potchefstroom Campus under the tacit approval by the university management”.
The team was set up in March this year and asked to investigate whether there was a “culture of intimidation, harassment, fear and purging” against staff and students who tried to stop such practices.
The task team included SA Human Rights Commission member Leon Wessels, NWU human rights committee chairwoman Rehana Rawat, political analyst Somadoda Fikeni, and nuclear power expert Bismark Tyobeka.
Maree said the NWU council was expected to meet on Thursday.
“It will become clear from the answers given by council and the response of the minister whether our request has been heeded,” he said.
Sapa