Hostel apologises 73 years after racist attack

File photo:Two former apartheid leaders, Hendrik Verwoerd and John Vorster, pictured right, were residents at Dagbreek. PICTURE: PETER STANFORD

File photo:Two former apartheid leaders, Hendrik Verwoerd and John Vorster, pictured right, were residents at Dagbreek. PICTURE: PETER STANFORD

Published Sep 1, 2012

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Johannesburg - Dagbreek, a men's hostel at the University of Stellenbosch apologised for an attack on blacks and coloureds 73 years ago, according to a report on Saturday.

The apology was for the “Battle of Andringa Street” in July 1939 when students from the hostel attacked black and coloured people and looted their homes, Beeld reported.

The hostel had also refused to hand in their weapons to government after the attack.

Two former apartheid leaders, Hendrik Verwoerd and John Vorster were residents at Dagbreek.

According to the report students from the hostel apologised on Friday and issued a statement accepting responsibility for those actions and the hostels' role in the attack.

“We take responsibility for what happened in the past and our involvement,” head of the hostel Pieter Nel was quoted as saying.

He said the hostel wanted to apologise for the “disobedience and lovelessness” that led to the attack. - Sapa

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