Maties to harness hurtful incident for conciliation
The pursuance of critical debate and conciliatory conversations is of much greater value to Stellenbosch University's student community than action against the students that caused the buzz on social media last week after a birthday party at Amazink in Kayamandi.
The Stellenbosch University management accepted the recommendation of the investigation team on Friday that no disciplinary action would be taken against Michael Weaver, Ross Bartlett and Mark Burmann. The three students have made a commitment to participate in discussions in various student forums to help repair relations after their actions had caused resentment and hurt.
The incident, the complex South African context, the meaning of ‘blackface' and the related sensitivities will be included in discussions in residences, the Listening, Learning and Living structures, in leadership training and the 2015 welcoming programme. It will also become part of the short course curriculum of the Frederik Van Zyl Slabbert Institute for Student Leadership Development.
"The University management still regards the incident in a very serious light," says Prof Leopoldt van Huyssteen, acting Rector and Vice-Chancellor of Stellenbosch University. "Although the investigation confirmed the students' statement that they attended the 21st birthday celebration of twin friends at a restaurant in the Kayamandi tourism corridor, and that they dressed up according to the ‘twinning' theme like other guests, our country's history and vulnerable relations demand that we should be sensitive to remarks, actions and terminology that may be hurtful and offensive. The storm that the photo provoked on campus, in the media and on social platforms, confirmed this in the run up to the University's Diversity week. The chain of events over the past week resulted in a valuable learning experience for the three students and our campus community.
"The incident tested the leadership of our newly elected Students' Representative Council (SRC) and Simonsberg's house committee very early in their term of office. Our student leadership structures should assist us to create a welcoming culture on our campus, and therefore management welcomed the strong stance against any form of insensitive conduct expressed by the SRC and the house committee," says Prof Van Huyssteen. "The University will utilise this negative incident to encourage frank discussions for the sake of a greater mutual understanding on our campuses."
Statement issued by Stellenbosch University, September 30 2014
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