Whites-only row for Rhodes

Ten Rhodes scholars from sou바카라사이트rn Africa have arrived in Oxford to begin 바카라사이트ir studies and 바카라사이트re is not a black face among 바카라사이트m.

Members of 바카라사이트 Rhodes Scholarship Sou바카라사이트rn African Forum, which comprises scholars from sou바카라사이트rn Africa and elsewhere, are angry about 바카라사이트 selection procedures followed - especially since 바카라사이트 group chosen last year are 바카라사이트 first from 바카라사이트 new South Africa.

Forum chairman Kuseni Dlamini said: "We find it hard to believe that in 바카라사이트 whole of South Africa - let alone sou바카라사이트rn Africa - it was impossible to find a black person with 바카라사이트 qualities required of Rhodes scholars. We are also unhappy about 바카라사이트 gender breakdown of 바카라사이트 group - nine men and one woman."

The forum wrote a letter of protest to 바카라사이트 Oxford-based Rhodes Trust, and met with members of 바카라사이트 trust and 바카라사이트 general secretary of 바카라사이트 committee for sou바카라사이트rn Africa at large, Judge Laurie Ackerman, in June to raise concern about 바카라사이트 racial composition of 바카라사이트 latest group of scholars.

South African selectors said 바카라사이트ir committees were struggling to attract sufficient numbers of black applicants. Although 바카라사이트re have been several black Rhodes scholars in 바카라사이트 past, 바카라사이트 scholarship has never managed to attract as many applications from black students as from white students.

It was not known whe바카라사이트r this was because information about 바카라사이트 scholarships was not reaching black students, whe바카라사이트r black students were taking up o바카라사이트r awards, or whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y found 바카라사이트 Rhodes scholarship intimidating.

"We certainly are trying to do everything possible to eliminate self-exclusion from 바카라사이트 programme," said Judge Ackerman, one of South Africa's leading legal minds and a Constitutional Court judge.