POLITICS

Murderous Tuks SRC member should be charged - AfriForum/Solidarity

Movement says racist comment should see Luvuyo Menziwa suspended by UP

AfriForum Youth to lay charge against SRC member who ‘wants to kill white people’

29 August 2016

AfriForum Youth is busy preparing charges that will be laid at the South African Police Service (SAPS) against Luvuyo Menziwa, a student at the University of Pretoria (UP) and member of the Student Representative Council (SRC). This follows after Menziwa said in a post onFacebook that he wants to kill white people using an AK-47 or bazooka.

He also put forward various reasons why he hates white people.

According to Henrico Barnard, Spokesperson for AfriForum Tuks, AfriForum Youth views Menziwa’s post as slanderous comments, incitement to violence and intimidation. 

More details regarding these charges will be made available later.

Statement issued by Henrico Barnard, Spokesperson: Tuks, AfriForum Youth, 30 August 2016


Update:

Murderous SC member should be suspended and criminally charged - Solidarity

30 August 2016  

Trade union Solidarity said today that Luvuyo Menziwa, SC member for student finances at the University of Pretoria (UP), should be dismissed from his position and suspended by the university immediately. He should also face criminal charges.

This follows after Menziwa said in a post on Facebook that he wanted to kill white people with a bazooka or an AK-47. He also provided reasons which included “white privilege, white dominance, white arrogance, white monopoly capital and white superiority”.

After giving the reasons, he wrote: “F**K WHITE PEOPLE!”

According to Jahni Cowley, Solidarity organiser on the UP campus, these kinds of statements should not be taken lightly. “Our members cannot be expected to turn op for work while a self-confessed murderous student is roaming free on campus. We’ll do all we can to protect our members in the workplace, even if it means that they do not go to work until Menziwa has been suspended,” Cowley said.

Anna-Retha Bouwer, public relations officer of the University of Pretoria, said this morning that the issue is being investigated and that the university does not tolerate hate speech.

“It is tragic that one student is threatening the racial harmony that many people are trying to promote,” Cowley said.

Issued by Juran van den Heever, Communications manager: News, content and social media. 30 August 2016 

 

Update:

AfriForum Youth lays charge against SRC member who ‘wants to kill white people’

AfriForum Youth’s Tuks branch today laid criminal charges at the South African Police Service (SAPS) against Luvuyo Menziwa, a student and SRC member at the University of Pretoria (UP). This follows after Menziwa made slanderous comments on his Facebook page that incite violence and intimidation. He said that he wants to kill white people using an AK-47 or bazooka. 

This youth branch today also held a protest action on the UP campus, during which they demanded that Menziwa be suspended from the SRC and from campus with immediate effect. They are of the opinion that Menziwa’s comments can have a negative influence on students.

After AfriForum Youth put pressure on the UP management and SRC, Thabo Shingagne, Deputy Secretary of the SRC, announced approximately 13:00 that Menziwa was suspended from the SRC pending an investigation. According to Shingagne, Menziwa has untilFriday to hang up his jacket.

 “AfriForum Youth welcomes the SRC’s quick response and is looking forward to consistent action against racism in the future,” says Henrico Barnard, Spokesperson of AfriForum Youth’s Tuks branch.

According to Barnard, the UP management made an undertaking to update AfriForum Youth within 24 hours regarding Menziwa’s disciplinary process and possible suspension.  

According to Jaco Grobbelaar, Campus Coordinator for AfriForum Youth’s Tuks branch, this incident was not the first of its kind at the UP. “Even though AfriForum Youth is happy that the University acted quickly, we will continue placing pressure on management to ensure that Menziwa is held accountable for his action.”        

Statement issued by Henrico Barnard, Spokesperson: Tuks, AfriForum Youth, 30 August 2016