The Democratic Alliance (DA) goes guns blazing against the Economic Freedom Fighters Student Command (EFFSC), calling for the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) to investigate it for denying students access to the University of Pretoria (UP) campus.
The DA has formally lodged a complaint with the SAHRC requesting it to urgently investigate the EFF student’s command after it allegedly denied “white students” access to the institution.
The call was also extended to UP’s interim Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Prof Themba Mosia, to urgently intervene regarding the seeming escalating racial tension at the institution.
This is despite the youth wing of civil rights organisation AfriForum claiming responsibility for a public relations stunt that caused a huge uproar at the University of Pretoria’s Hatfield campus on Monday.
AfriForum Jeug plastered “No Whites Allowed” and “Blacks Only” stickers at the entrances of the Tuks campus, saying they were forced to take drastic measures to put the spotlight on what they called racial exclusion and the university’s double standards.
According to the DA, various social media platforms have raised concern that white students are denied entry onto campus at the university.
“The EFFSC attempts are a contravention of the Constitution of South Africa in that no one may be discriminated against based on race, together with the right to human dignity and freedom of movement and association.
“Considering various allegations surrounding racial incidents have been levelled, the university council should have intervened long before the situation escalated,” the opposition party said in a statement.
It said that higher institutions of learning should be safe spaces where differences must be dealt with professionally and cooperatively.
It stated that such actions reversed the gains necessary to ensure a just and equal society and must be condemned with the contempt it deserves.
“Campuses must be accessible to all students. University councils cannot remain tight-lipped when such instances occur on campuses.
“Social cohesion should be prioritised to ensure the smooth completion of the academic year, and racial prejudice and targeting of any group should be condemned and decidedly dealt with,” it said.
kamogelo.moichela@inl.co.za
IOL Politics