AfriForum Youth makes UFS lecturer's racist remarks public

23 October 2023

AfriForum Youth today exposed the most shocking racist statements made by Dr Pedro Mzileni, lecturer at the University of the Free State (UFS), by means of a video. The youth organisation already filed a complaint of racism with the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) and the UFS against Mzileni, in August.

On this video, Mzileni can be heard uttering statements such as: “The children of white people today, employing your children and subjecting them to animal treatment,” during a lecture on 25 July. More examples of his dividing statements were: “No other people are subjected to cruelty like black South Africans.” and “South African white people are chilling on the back of you. You are suffering...You are not the same.”

The UFS notified AfriForm Youth’s legal team on 10 October that they will soon finalise the investigation into the complaint of Mzileni’s racism. The SAHRC is still working on their investigation after they confirmed on 20 September that they will investigate the matter.

“Kovsie students reached out to us for help after Mzileni’s racist remarks in class made them feel very uncomfortable and unsafe. AfriForum Youth immediately took steps because ideologically distorted and racist content must never be allowed on our campuses. This video, which highlights the most shocking racist statements of Mzileni, is necessary because the public must take a stand together on the consequences for a lecturer who is guilty of racism,” says René van der Vyver, spokesperson for AfriForum Youth.

The youth organisation believes that the public, and in particular the parents of UFS students, should be aware of the unacceptable content that is presented in some of the classes at this university.

Watch the video here and share it to put pressure on the UFS and SAHRC to finalise their investigations.

Issued by René van der Vyver, AfriForum Youth: Spokesperson, 23 October 2023