Racial tension is detrimental to universities and the country’s development

08 March 2016

Note to Editors: The following speech was delivered by DA Shadow Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, Yusuf Cassim MP, during the debate about racial tensions on campuses in Parliament today. 

Honourable Speaker, the hour is drawing late for South Africans from all walks of life to stand up and say, this far and no further. 

After more than R150 million in damages to our universities, the blatant assault of black students at a rugby game at the University of the Free State, white students marching against black students at the University of Pretoria, Corné Mulder calling on the EFF to be crushed and Julius Malema saying we will crush you too, SASCO declaring war on Afriforum and the EFF sharing a post on how to make petrol bombs advocating for them to be thrown at ‘colonialists’ … certainly it is time to draw a line in the sand against racism and violence. This includes taking responsibility.

Political parties and leaders have played a toxic role in dividing South Africans along racial lines and advocating violence, it has come from all sides. Those like the EFF responsible for violent rhetoric must pay for the damages it has caused. You can’t just steal the futures of our students and think it’s fine. Those responsible for divisive rhetoric must come together and pledge reconciliation and redress. Those who refuse must be condemned to the dustbin of history. This is the responsibility of all South Africans that want a prosperous, free and fair society.

The scourge of racism can only be fought with reconciliation and redress. The politicians and political parties that are fueling racial divisions are doing so for political ends. They know just as well that fighting racism with racial division is like engaging in sexual intercourse for virginity.

The ANC has become intellectually bankrupt. Their election strategy is not “Vote for us because we govern better,” but rather “Vote for us because we are not white,” doing everything they can to divide South Africans for political ends whilst spitting on Nelson Mandela’s legacy – a leader who taught us that our scars would not be healed by more hatred, but only by love and understanding. A leader incarcerated for 27 years for fighting against racial domination, who was the embodiment of forgiveness and reconciliation. The DA is the only party that has inherited this project of reconciliation which the ANC has abandoned.

The escalating racial tensions have not taken place in a vacuum. These politicians can only divide South Africans if the conditions allow them to. The conditions for division are created when:

Former black universities are neglected as they are not on Minister Nzimande’s State capture to--do list

Poor, mostly black students, are not funded or are set up to fail and subjected to an inferior living and learning experience

Aspiring black academics are not funded and supported

After 22 years, nothing has been done to develop African languages as mediums of instruction

The list is endless. 

Minister Blade Nzimande and the ANC have no interest in the lives of black students. To him, black lives do not matter unless they can be used to divide South Africans for political ends. When the “Luister” video was released last year, Honourary Blade jumped to grandstand, Honourable Phosa called an emergency meeting of the Higher Education PC to summon the University of Stellenbosch. He was jumping.

It’s right, he must jump, but why didn’t he jump when the University of Fort Hare was close to collapse a week thereafter? Where was his kangaroo tendencies then? This oblivious Minister actually said that the small increase in funds for NSFAS this year was because of him and not the students who rose up and were met with violence and ridicule.

The only prosperous way forward for South Africa and our students is through meaningful reconciliation and redress. The DA represents the silent majority who want opportunities for all in a South Africa that is free and fair. It is not too late, but the hour is late.

Issued by the DA, 8 March 2016