UP bans Afrikaans groups from language policy lekgotla; EFF vandalises campus

27 May 2016

The University of Pretoria (UP) banned various Afrikaans groups from attending the language policy lekgotla (conference) to be held on 28 May 2016.

Many organisations wanted to register for the conference to present their contributions to the language policy. Amid this, the UP was vandalised yesterday when slogans such as “F*ck Afrikaans”, “Afrikaans Must Fall” and “#AMF” were spray-painted all over campus walls.

“Afrikaans students really want to participate in the lekgotla, but the only manner in which the EFF wants to participate, is through hate speech and violence. The University does not hesitate to exclude Afrikaans students, but does nothing to address wrongdoers,” said Marthinus Jacobs, AfriForum Tuks Chairperson. “In February, AfriForum was chased from meetings simply because they wanted to give input in the language policy.”

AfriForum Tuks submitted complaints to the UP’s Department of Students Affairs about the EFF’s vandalising and destructive culture on campus, and demanded that action be taken against perpetrators.

AfriForum Youth is of the opinion that any process that prevents students from giving input is invalid. “This exclusion once again shows that the UP is not interested in students’ contributions, but would rather listen to the extremist minority such as the EFF,” said Morné Mostert, AfriForum’s National Project Coordinator. 

Issued by Marthinus Jacobs, Chairperson: Tuks AfriForum Youth, 27 May 2016