SACP statement on the destruction of public property at North West University

The South African Communist Party (SACP) is extremely disappointed at, and condemns in the strongest terms possible, the burning of the science centre and the administration building at the Mafikeng Campus of the North West University (NWU) late on Wednesday 24 February. The destruction of the property, along with official records is estimated to run into millions of rands. More money will now be needed to continue developing the campus – including possibilities of diverting money from other priorities – taking into consideration the new costs imposed by the destruction.

Destruction of public property is not progressive. It is worse off especially in a developing democratic society that needs more resource capacity to meet its priorities. Destruction of public property is therefore not revolutionary but counterproductive, and must be condemned in the strongest terms possible, by society as a whole, as a legally punishable criminal conduct. The police must investigate and get to the bottom of what happened. All those who will be found responsible, and in all respects, must be held accountable through the criminal justice system. The law must take its cause. The police must stop being slowly reactive but must act proactively within the ambit of the law.

The NWU institutional management and council must conduct their own investigations into what happened and take corrective steps. The students must isolate and distance themselves from destructive elements.

The Mafikeng campus of the NWU is the poorest of the University’s main campuses. The destruction constitutes the single largest reversal of the gains the campus has made since our country’s 1994 democratic breakthrough. The damage will only serve to perpetuate the inequalities that, as a democratic people, we have been fighting against throughout the history of our struggle against colonial national oppression and apartheid.

The science centre at the Mafikeng campus was used to conduct about 40 scientific experiments benefiting school learners to encourage them to study science. The campus is now closed, until further notice, and students’ academic time will be wasted. This will further contribute to both short- and long-term inequalities, with the historically disadvantaged students served by the Mafikeng Campus suffering the most.

Statement issued by SACP, 25 February 2016