ANC YOUTH LEAGUE STATEMENT AFTER THE MEETING WITH UNIVERSITY OF FREE STATE VICE CHANCELLOR, PROFESSOR JONATHAN JANSEN:

The African National Congress Youth League met with the Vice Chancellor of the University of Free State, Professor Jonathan Jansen on Thursday, the 29th of October 2009. The ANC Youth League expressed its disappointment with the manner in which the Vice Chancellor handled the Reitz Residence issue, but noted the following:

1. That the University of Free State is a racially divided and racist institution of higher learning.

2. That there is a long way to go to in transforming the University of Free State into a truly representative institution of Higher Learning.

3. That Professor Jonathan Jansen acknowledges the racist culture of the University and willing to redress these realities.

4. That the Reitz Residence incident is but one of the many racist manifestations happening at the University.

5. That there various challenges confronting black students and disadvantaging them to make adequate academic progress.

In acknowledgment of these realities, the Meeting agreed on the following:

1. That the Reitz Residence students who committed the racist acts should take responsibility for their actions. The University should in this instance set a non-negotiable pre-condition that the racist students should apologise, be remorseful and agree to go through a corrective disciplinary process, if they are to be re-integrated into the University.

2. That the University will intensify the racial integration programme in all residences, putting an end racially segregated residences and ensuring that ultimately, there is equal number of black and white students in all residences.

3. That the University set an all inclusive process of truth and reconciliation process, wherein students and staff members from all races who have encountered racial injustices in the past speak openly about these encounters and a process to address them put in place.

4. That the University look into the issue of timetable for English and Afrikaans Courses, so as to ensure that English courses are issued at the same time as Afrikaans courses, to ensure that those who take these courses attend to them on time.

5. That the working conditions of workers should be changed after a proper consultation by the Vice Chancellor with the affected workers and respond to the issue of reparations.

The ANC YL appreciates the University Vice Chancellor's programme to recruiting black Professors and academics into the University so as to balance the racial outlook of the University Senate and academia. The ANC YL believes that Professor Jonathan Jansen should continue as Vice Chancellor of the University of Free State, and will watch very closely the transformation programme of the University of Free State under his leadership.

Statement issued by the ANC Youth League, October 29 2009

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