3 Maties students disciplined for Nazi-inspired posters
Cape Town – Three University of Stellenbosch students, who were temporarily suspended for Nazi-like posters which were put up around campus, have been found guilty of contravening the student disciplinary code.
In a hearing concluded by the university’s central disciplinary committee this week, it was found that they had acted contrary to two provisions, the university said on Friday.
The first stated that a student should not act in a manner that was racist, unfairly discriminatory, violent, grossly insulting, abusive or intimidating against another person.
This clause extended to conduct that was intended to humiliate, or which attacked the dignity of another.
According to the second relevant clause, a student should not act in such a way that disrupts, or potentially disrupts the maintenance of order and discipline at the university.
The posters surfaced in May, and appeared to be digitally created copies of Nazi-era Germany posters.
Titled "the Anglo-Afrikaner student", it called on people to "fight for Stellenbosch" and attend a meeting at the library.
At the time, the university’s equality unit said that the posters and the advertised event promoted racial polarisation and superiority.
The references to Nazi propaganda and neo-Nazism were also highly offensive.
The committee instructed the students to complete a total of 100 hours community service by the end of the first semester of 2018.
Sixty of those hours should be completed by the end of the 2017 academic year.
They also had to complete a "restorative assignment" on how to constructively engage on campus and address different narratives.
Their final assignment had to be submitted by February next year. Forty hours of their community service had to be used to implement the constructive engagement ideas they mentioned in their assignment.
"If any of the three students fail to comply with any of the above elements of the sanction, they will be expelled immediately from Stellenbosch University."
The students have five days to file a notice of appeal.
