Statement by the Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Prof Ihron Rensburg, University of Johannesburg 

The University of Johannesburg (UJ) has noted certain controversial and potentially inflammatory statements made by Mr Julius Malema, ANC Youth League President, on its Doornfontein campus on Monday 8 March.

Mr Malema was on campus at the invitation of the Doornfontein SRC and addressed a group of about 300 students.

The University has refrained from commenting on Mr Malema's statements until now because we wanted to authenticate his comments. This has now been done and the University wishes to distance itself from Mr Malema's statements.

While the University fully supports the right to free speech and encourages it on our campuses, it neither condones nor encourages comments that are potentially inflammatory, provocative and defamatory.

A number of staff and students have registered concern about Mr Malema's statements on the day. Concerns have also been expressed by parents, fee-payers and members of the general public who have read media reports on Mr Malema's statements.

The University is receptive to these concerns and the Executive Management would like to reassure the University's community and the public at large that UJ is determined to uphold the UJ values which includes, integrity and respect for diversity and human dignity, and which run counter to any statements that provoke racial, gender or religious tensions.

Professor Ihron Rensburg
Vice-Chancellor and Principal
University of Johannesburg (UJ)

Statement issued by the University of Johannesburg, March 11 2010

Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter