Cape Town - A Stellenbosch University student has detailed how a white student allegedly humiliated his Indian peer, bringing her to tears at the university’s Law Dance last week.
The university confirmed on Wednesday it was investigating the incident, the second to emerge in a number of days at the institution, following a viral video showing Theuns du Toit humiliating a fellow black student, Babalo Ndwayana, by urinating on his study material while he was asleep in a room at a residence on campus.
“University authorities are in discussion with individuals, attendees of the dance, faculty leadership and student representatives to ascertain the facts at hand as well as more information about the formal complaint by the affected student,” SU said.
Authorities met with the affected student, while she has been assisted in the process of reporting the matter to the university’s equality unit.
The Law Faculty will ensure that she has access to the necessary counselling services.
“The SU community will unswervingly continue in its endeavours to find a workable and sustainable way forward to ensure that the rights of everyone on campus are safeguarded and promoted in the interest of the development and academic achievement of our youth as our nation’s future leaders,” the university said.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, the student who attended the Law Dance said: “At around-about the end of the dance we saw that a lot of people were putting in song requests as the night was ending.
“The Indian student went up and asked if she could also get a song request.
“There were already some people who were not happy that the music was predominantly white.
“The student then asked for an Indian song to be played, while she was talking to the DJ another white law student came and told the DJ that she wanted to put on an Afrikaans song, because she felt that there were only two Afrikaans songs that were played.
“When I was at the dance hall I heard so many different Afrikaans songs being played.
“The Indian student told her this and said she had approached the DJ first.
“Then the Afrikaans student told her to ‘just f**k off’ and then started swearing at her.
“I am not entirely sure about the rest that was said but when we approached her she was in tears, and she said that she just sort of wanted to drown out the rest that was being sworn at her.”
South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) commissioner, André Gaum said the commission would launch its own investigation into the incident.
“Although we have not received complaints yet, we would in all probability open an own accord investigation into that incident as well after considering available evidence and assessing the matter,” Gaum said.
Cape Times