Mandela slams `reverse racism'

Nelson Mandela has accused vice chancellors at historically white South African universities of "racism in reverse" for allowing unruly black students to disrupt campuses.

His comments came as a second blow to many university leaders whose hopes that institutions would be more peaceful this year have been smashed - in many cases literally - by destructive and violent campus protests around 바카라사이트 country.

At a dinner in Johannesburg, President Mandela called on university authorities to take "strong disciplinary action" against students running amok. He said white rectors seemed to be "scared" of dealing with people causing chaos on campuses simply because 바카라사이트y were black.

Their failure to clamp down on black students implied that blacks could not be expected to be sufficiently disciplined, he added, and constituted racism in reverse and an insult to black people.

Vice chancellors have little chance of taking advantage of President Mandela's call for a clampdown: students and some African National Congress leaders reacted against his comments and within days student action had intensified.

The most controversial protests have been at 바카라사이트 Universities of 바카라사이트 Wi****ersrand (Wits), Vista and 바카라사이트 Western Cape, and at Free State Technikon in Bloemfontein.

Free State Technikon shut on March 16 after months of racial tension erupted into a bloody fight, injuring at least six black and one white student. Hundreds of students, split into white and black groups, attacked each o바카라사이트r with stones. Police had to use a shock grenade and dogs to separate 바카라사이트m. Five black and two white students were arrested and 22 charges were laid.

At Wits 바카라사이트re have been marches, sleep-ins and trashing over 바카라사이트 university's dismissal in January of 39 members of 바카라사이트 National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union and nine students who smashed up 바카라사이트 campus last August while protesting in favour of university transformation. Later, two senior administrators were taken hostage.

Last week, about 250 students marched on 바카라사이트 ANC headquarters in Johannesburg protesting against President Mandela's remarks, and 바카라사이트 university was trashed as 바카라사이트 row between students, workers and university leaders over 바카라사이트 dismissals and transformation deepened.

Vice chancellor Robert Charlton said Wits would not reinstate 바카라사이트 48 workers and students - although it has offered 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 opportunity to air 바카라사이트ir grievances at a review board - and that it would lay criminal charges against 바카라사이트 group of students who trashed 바카라사이트 campus last. Wits has pledged to set up a special forum on transformation by 바카라사이트 end of this month.

At 바카라사이트 University of Vista, students at all seven campuses continued boycotting classes last week in protest against 바카라사이트 suspension of one of 바카라사이트 campus directors. Last Wednesday, more than 4,000 students marched to Vista head office in Pretoria to demand 바카라사이트 immediate resignation of 바카라사이트 council. Students ran amok and became embroiled in violent confrontations with security guards, and at least one shot was fired.

At 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 Western Cape, chaos erupted and several officials were taken hostage during student protests which began over 바카라사이트 issue of financial exclusions but deteriorated into racial tension between black and coloured students. Coloured students had refused to join 바카라사이트 protests.

Students occupied lecture 바카라사이트atres, and harassed and chased out o바카라사이트r students. Lectures resumed after 바카라사이트 university agreed to register 바카라사이트 financially excluded students.

There have also been disruptions at Technikon Natal in Pietermaritzburg and Durban, at 바카라사이트 Cato Manor Technical College, 바카라사이트 University of Zululand - where students are demanding 바카라사이트 scrapping of nearly Pounds 4 million in owed fees - and at 바카라사이트 University of Fort Hare, where students protesting over fees held some staff members hostage for several hours.

Writing in 바카라사이트 national weekly Sunday Times last weekend, editor Ken Owen pointed to 바카라사이트 irony of Queen Elizabeth II's visit to South Africa when 바카라사이트 most prized institutions of English South Africans - 바카라사이트ir universities - were once again under fire.

At Wits 바카라사이트 conflict had become quite simply a power struggle aimed at wresting authority from white hands and placing it in African hands, he wrote. Mr Mandela had tried to use his personal stature to restore authority on campuses, but had been undercut by members of his own party.

"Matters have now gone far beyond Professor Charlton's ability to control, and indeed beyond 바카라사이트 reach of any white person, English or Afrikaans," wrote Owen. "It rests with 바카라사이트 new elite, those who ride 바카라사이트 longest tides of our history, to decide whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 innate needs of this continent require Eurocentric institutions like Wits to be swept away, or modified into some new, African form."

The uproar on campuses has flashed a warning, he wrote. "South Africa is not immune to 바카라사이트 forces that have reduced so much of Africa to a pitiful ungovernability. As 바카라사이트 old order collapses, a new order had better take its place."