Francesca Villette
STUDENTS at UCT revived the Black Law Students’ Forum (BLSF) as a platform yesterday to encourage constructive debate on issues like race and gender discrimination.
The forum had become dormant over the last few years after it was originally established in 1992 for black students who felt alienated within the faculty.
Forum president Nelly Ndlovu encouraged students, irrespective of race, gender or culture, to come forward and talk about on-campus racism and discrimination.
“As young people, we tend to forget where we come from. Our parents went through a lot for us to be able to be here today. BLSF will be revamped and we will talk about issues facing us as students. We can’t change something if we do not talk about it,” said Ndlovu.
Ebrahim Shaikh, forum vice-president and former member of the UCT Law Student Council, said he would often be the only black person at committee meetings on campus. As a result, he had often experienced prejudice.
“It is a problem that not many black people are decision-makers at UCT. This needs to change. BLSF would give students the opportunity to gain confidence and take up leadership positions.”
The guest speaker at yesterday’s launch, attended by about 100 people, was Siona O’Connell, lecturer and senior curator at the Centre for Curating the Archive at UCT.
O’Connell said young, aspiring students were the only hope to lead a better future.
“You, students, give me hope that we may still have a spectacular future. I want to applaud you for starting this and embarking on this journey, although it will be a long one. We would be naive to say that racism is not rife. Let’s address it head on,” O’Connell encouraged.
On January 19, a letter O’Connell wrote was published in Cape Times sister newspaper the Cape Argus.
Her letter was headlined: “What UCT’s not telling their first-years”.
Since then, she has received more than 800 hate e-mails and countless threats by strangers and some of her colleagues, she said yesterday.
As an intellectual, a woman and a mother, she said she would continue fighting for the greater good.
UCT spokeswoman Pat Lucas said race and gender discrimination were an issue affecting the entire country.
“UCT addresses these issues in a number of different ways, such as discussion forums. If students or staff members believe they are being discriminated against on any basis, including race or gender, they are encouraged to open a case with UCT’s Discrimination and Harassment Office.
“The office’s trained professional staff offer a range of ways to bring about a resolution. The university ombudsman is also available to assist in such matters,” said Lucas.