By Karen Breytenbach
The University of Stellenbosch has publicly distanced itself from controversial Afrikaner rightwinger Dan Roodt, who appeared as a guest at the university-sponsored Woordfees last weekend.
This came after 15 Stellenbosch academics asked in a statement published in the university's Kampusnuus that the invitation to Roodt to take part in the festival, be withdrawn due to his extreme racial and anti-African National Congress views.
On the day of Roodt's literary discussion, last Saturday, Roodt convened a meeting at a restaurant where he publicly attacked the legitimacy of the ANC government.
In response to this incident and other controversial public debates, the university placed advertisements in the Saturday Argus, explaining its position on such debates.
The same statement appeared on the university website on Friday.
Among other things the university discussed its role in the public debates on the conferring of a doctorate on Bram Fischer and Roodt's participation in the Woordfees, Stellenbosch University spokesperson Mohamed Shaikh said.
Shaikh said a press release may have given the newspapers editorial discretion to shorten or change the statement.
Rector and vice-chancellor of the university, Chris Brink, said in the statement: "The university does not wish to be associated with the recent opinions expressed by Dr Roodt.
"We distance ourselves from any form of racist or inflammatory pronouncements that hamper peaceful co-existence and the development of a non-racial society," said Brink.