Cape Town - No disciplinary action will be taken against the three Stellenbosch University students at the centre of the so-called “blackface incident”, the university has announced.
But acting vice-chancellor Professor Leopoldt van Huyssteen said the “negative incident” would be used to encourage frank discussions “for the sake of a greater mutual understanding on our campuses”.
Last week a photograph of Mark Burman and Ross Bartlett dressed as tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams, complete with brown face paint, went viral after it was posted on social media by their friend, Michael Weaver. It was taken at a 21st birthday party on September 20.
In a statement released on Monday, the university said it had accepted the recommendation of an investigation team that no disciplinary action be taken against the three.
It said the students had made a commitment to participate in discussions in various student forums “to help repair relations” after their actions caused resentment and hurt.
The incident, “the complex South African context”, the meaning of “blackface” and related sensitivities would be included in discussions in residences, the 2015 welcoming programme and other structures.
It would also become part of the short course curriculum of the Frederik van Zyl Slabbert Institute for Student Leadership Development.
“The university management still regards the incident in a very serious light. Although the investigation confirmed the students’ statement that they attended the 21st birthday celebration of twin friends at a restaurant in the Kayamandi tourism corridor, and that they dressed up according to the ‘twinning’ theme like other guests, our country’s history and vulnerable relations demand that we should be sensitive to remarks, actions and terminology that may be hurtful and offensive,” Van Huyssteen said.
“The storm that the photo provoked on campus, in the media and on social platforms, confirmed this in the run-up to the university’s diversity week. The chain of events over the past week resulted in a valuable learning experience for the three students and our campus community.”
Cape Argus