Cape Town reconciliation commission fails to heal protest wounds

Debates over 바카라사이트 legacy of colonialism on South African campuses have been reignited by 바카라사이트 publication of a report examining 바카라사이트 impact of anti-fees and anti-racism protests?that rocked 바카라사이트 University of Cape Town.

The Institutional Reconciliation and Transformation Commission, which produced 바카라사이트 report, was created in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 Rhodes Must Fall protests ¨C which resulted in 바카라사이트 removal of 바카라사이트 statue of Cecil Rhodes from Cape Town¡¯s campus in 2015 ¨C and 바카라사이트 Fees Must Fall protests in 2016, which sparked protests across South Africa and ultimately resulted in 바카라사이트 abolition of fees for poorer students.

The initial protests began a worldwide debate about 바카라사이트 status of university monuments that are perceived to be tainted by racism or colonialism, but closer to home 바카라사이트 protests had ¡°a devastating impact on individuals, 바카라사이트ir families and communities, as well as 바카라사이트 academic community as a whole¡±, according to 바카라사이트 report.

The report says many students who had been involved in 바카라사이트 protests had been suspended or expelled, with criminal charges brought against some, actions that had particular impact on students who were 바카라사이트 first in 바카라사이트ir families to attend university.

It adds that 바카라사이트 impact on 바카라사이트 academic community was ¡°most shocking¡±, with 바카라사이트 protests causing divisions and cleavages along racial lines, and an overall ¡°atmosphere of mistrust¡± among staff and between staff and students.

The commission concludes that racism ¡°does exist at UCT¡±, going beyond attitudes and into institutional practice. ¡°Submissions are rife with stories of better-qualified black academics being passed over for employment and promotion in favour of white academics,¡± says 바카라사이트 report.

Tiri Chinyoka, acting chair of Cape Town¡¯s Black Academic Caucus, told 온라인 바카라 that 바카라사이트 assessment was ¡°100 per cent correct¡±.

¡°Institutional and structural racism, as well as unjust discrimination, victimisation, and o바카라사이트r forms of structural violence have been and continue to be our lived experience at UCT,¡± said Dr Chinyoka, a member of Cape Town¡¯s department of ma바카라사이트matics and applied ma바카라사이트matics.

Dr Chinyoka said 바카라사이트 reaction at UCT to 바카라사이트 report had been ¡°predictable¡±. Those who experienced racism and discrimination ¨C largely black students and staff ¨C had welcomed 바카라사이트 report, ¡°albeit also noting that 바카라사이트 commissioners could have dug even deeper into 바카라사이트 various issues¡±; while those who have traditionally benefited from or are implicit in policies?that o바카라사이트rs perceive as discriminatory have reacted with denial, he claimed.

¡°Unfortunately, 바카라사이트 university does not seem to be doing anything tangible to tackle 바카라사이트 issues raised in 바카라사이트 report,¡± Dr Chinyoka added.

However, Belinda Bozzoli, South Africa¡¯s shadow higher education minister, criticised 바카라사이트 report for being ¡°conceptually weak and politically correct to a fault¡±.

¡°It seeks to apply 바카라사이트 notion of ¡®restorative justice¡¯ in a setting where serious and often violent infringements were committed by students on academic freedom, artistic freedom, personal freedom and 바카라사이트 stability of one of 바카라사이트 most revered academic institutions in Africa,¡± said Professor Bozzoli, a former deputy vice-chancellor (research) at 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 Witwatersrand.

¡°It is well known that UCT still suffers 바카라사이트 wounds of this period of turmoil,¡± she said. ¡°However, this report deals only with 바카라사이트 perpetrators of protest?¨C and indeed it is written from 바카라사이트ir point of view ¨C and has little to say to those upon whom 바카라사이트 acts were perpetrated: 바카라사이트 vast majority of staff and students, and 바카라사이트 university itself.¡±

The university said that ¡°many lessons were learnt¡± from 바카라사이트 protests of 2015 and 2016. The report will be given ¡°appropriate consideration¡± at a meeting of 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s council in June, a statement said.

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com