Cape Town – A white first-year student at Stellenbosch University (SU) has been suspended from his residence, Eendrag, pending the outcome of an investigation the university said.
This comes after it was revealed the student urinated on the belongings of two fellow black students during the early hours of Saturday.
According to the Weekend Argus, an emergency meeting was held shortly after the incident, however, what transpired during the meeting is yet to be revealed.
The incident is alleged to have occurred while the student in question was intoxicated.
SU management conveyed it deep concern regarding the irresponsible use of alcohol on and around its campuses after learning about the latest urination incident.
This is the third incident of its kind to occur at the university.
“The university must again emphasise that human dignity is non-negotiable at SU and must be respected and upheld. When such dignity is affected, it must be restored following the due process as provided for within the university's disciplinary framework.
“As a well-governed institution, SU feels strongly that the just course of the law and due process must always be followed to protect the rights of both affected and implicated students. It provides for defensible and sustainable outcomes,” SU spokesperson Martin Viljoen said.
He said once the management of the Eendrag Residence was made aware of the incident involving the “severely intoxicated” student, they acted immediately and reported the incident to the relevant university structures for urgent escalation to SU executive management.
“The implicated student was suspended from the residence on 22 October 2022 pending the outcome of an investigation. The SU rector and vice-chancellor, Professor Wim de Villiers, will consider further action and decide on suspension from the university after consideration of the facts of the case,” Viljoen said.
Deputy vice-chancellor of Learning and Teaching, Professor Deresh Ramjugernath, said the university would continue to use all resources at its disposal to combat the surge of irresponsible alcohol consumption by some of its students.
“Notwithstanding extensive interventions and the latest revised residence rules that strictly regulate alcohol use in residences, it is evident that more drastic action and regulations have become necessary, and there needs to be engagement with the municipality and business community as to how we can work together to curtail irresponsible alcohol consumption.
“We can leave no stone unturned in addressing this devastating behaviour,” Ramjugernath said.
He said the latest incident would be investigated by the university’s Office of Student Discipline in accordance with the latest conversion of the Student Disciplinary Code.
“What is very important now is that all students be afforded the opportunity to prepare for the exams starting this week. It was also the clear wishes of the two affected students that their identities as well as that of the implicated student remain confidential.
“The university will, as and when appropriate, communicate further on the outcomes of the investigations and processes that are under way as a matter of priority,” Ramjugernath added.
Last month, a student was suspended from the Helshoogte Stellenbosch University men’s residence after he allegedly urinated on himself while sitting on his roommate’s chair.
At the time, “Weekend Argus” reported that Tiaan Schreuder, an accounting student, returned to the residence after a night out when he urinated on the chair which belonged to Oscar Newton, his roommate and person of colour.
In May, the publication also broke the story about white undergraduate student, Theuns du Toit, who stormed into the room of first-year agricultural student Babalo Ndwayana and urinated all over his desk, learning material and laptop.
Du Toit was expelled from the university soon afterwards.
On Friday, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) stated that it intended to prosecute Du Toit on charges of malicious damage to property and crimen injuria.
This news was welcomed by Ndwayana’s family.
Viljoen told IOL the Helshoogte investigation had been concluded and was now in the hands of the chairperson of the Central Disciplinary Committee (CDC). Du Toit had appealed against the expulsion.
“We are awaiting the imminent outcome of the Theuns du Toit appeal hearing,” Viljoen said.
robin.francke@inl.co.za
IOL