Cape Town – Stellenbosch University (SU) has so far identified three individuals linked to the planning of the “Anglo-Afrikaner Student” event at Stellenbosch University and the related posters that surfaced on the Stellenbosch campus on Tuesday.
SU’s Equality Unit (EU) is leading the investigation, supported by staff of the Student Discipline division.
The unit received multiple complaints and subsequently launched an investigation in accordance with the principles in the institution's Policy on Unfair Discrimination.
The identified individuals are being interviewed, the university said.
Based on the investigation and statements by the students the EU will make recommendations on further steps to be taken.
“The posters and advertised event promoting racial polarisation/superiority combined with highly offensive references to Nazi propaganda and Neo-Nazism are totally unacceptable. Given the values of SU and the South African Constitution we cannot condone views, events, publicity campaigns or innuendo that undermine our innate equality as human beings,” said EU head, Jaco Greeff-Brink.
The SU management called on the campus community to let the investigation and subsequent processes run their course.
"Our staff members in the relevant units are giving priority attention to the matter. The findings and further steps will be communicated to the campus community," the university said in a statement.
"SU reiterated that it condemns racism, racial superiority and any attempts to polarise the campus community in the strongest possible terms and that it will not allow any event promoting racial superiority to take place on campus. Posters, which were put up without the consent of the University and which advertised a meeting venue that had not been booked, were removed yesterday.
"The University confirmed on Tuesday that only a query had been received on the availability of the venue and that no official booking was made at the time the posters were displayed. No further information about the event had been supplied at that point," the statement read.
Yesterday rector and vice-chancellor of the university, Professor Wim de Villiers said: “Not only is the message of the posters totally unacceptable, it is also contrary to our institution’s values. There seems to be deliberate mischief-making involved, and if that should be the case, disciplinary steps will be taken.”