Call for University of Stellenbosch to investigate racist incident

• Published date: 17 May 2022
• Publication title: South African Official News

Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola has called for the University of Stellenbosch to pull out all the stops in investigating a racist incident that has dominated media headlines.

Lamola said this when he tabled the Department of Justice and Correctional Services' Budget Vote on Tuesday.

'I would like to take this opportunity from the onset to condemn the racist incidents that continue to raise their ugly heads in some of our high schools in the country and the recent one at the University of Stellenbosch,' he said.

This comes after a white student was suspended after he reportedly urinated on the property of his roommate at the university's residence. The roommate recorded the incident on his phone.

'The university must leave no stone unturned in investigating the incident. All of us must send a clear and unambiguous message that that there is no space for racism in our country. Parents must teach their kids love and diversity and not racism.'

Bills that criminalise GBV bystanders

Meanwhile, Lamola said gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) is entrenched by patriarchal social norms and belief systems, gender disparity, socio-economic inequality, family dysfunctions, the low social value attached to women and girls, and the lack of accountability at all levels of responsibility.

'If men, in particular, do not take personal accountability, GBVF will continue to traumatise our society unhindered.

'For this reason, articles 1 and 2 of the Presidential Summit Declaration against...