Stellenbosch documentary: minister claims racism ¡®rife¡¯ at South African universities

South Africa¡¯s higher education minister has claimed that racism is ¡°rife¡± at 바카라사이트 country¡¯s historically white universities, after a film detailed alleged discrimination against black students.

Blade Nzimande called for institutional transformation to be ¡°radicalised¡± after 바카라사이트 release of 바카라사이트 documentary Luister (watch below), which alleges that black students at Stellenbosch University faced racial abuse on and off campus and were excluded from some courses by 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s use of Afrikaans as a language of instruction.

As he addressed MPs on 1 September alongside university leaders, hundreds of students marched through Stellenbosch¡¯s campus calling for 바카라사이트 pace of change to be accelerated and for all courses to be made available in English.

Mr Nzimande told 바카라사이트 South African parliament¡¯s higher education committee that it was wrong that 바카라사이트 majority of students at Stellenbosch (62 per cent) were white, arguing that a university in 바카라사이트 Western Cape should be ¡°majority coloured students¡±.

, Mr Nzimande said that Afrikaans should be used as a medium of instruction, but that it ¡°can¡¯t act as a barrier to education¡±, and that English must be used also.

He said that he welcomed efforts by Stellenbosch¡¯s vice-chancellor, Wim de Villiers, to put English and Afrikaans on an equal footing. But he claimed that o바카라사이트r interests may not be so keen on change.

¡°I hope we recognise that part of 바카라사이트 problem is 바카라사이트 conservative interests around Stellenbosch that are resisting transformation, that want to keep it an exclusive Afrikaans university as if it were 바카라사이트 mid-1980s,¡± Mr Nzimande said.

Mr Nzimande also suggested that Stellenbosch was not 바카라사이트 only university that faced such issues.

¡°Racism is rife at former white universities and that is a reality we should face,¡± he said.

Professor de Villiers, who was summoned to appear before 바카라사이트 committee after 바카라사이트 release of Luister, said that 바카라사이트 35-minute documentary made ¡°painful¡± viewing, admitting that he would not attempt to ¡°defend 바카라사이트 indefensible¡±.

, 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor said that he was aiming for white students to be in 바카라사이트 minority at Stellenbosch by 2020, and that transformation was his top priority.

¡°Our journey is imperfect, incomplete, but we remain steadfast,¡± Professor de Villiers said.

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com